A Streetrat's Tale
by Anonymous Void
Summary: Co-authored between Kibin Okami and Anonymous Void. The worlds of science fiction and fantasy collide together as two street urchins make the journey of a lifetime through friendship, adventure, darkness, and the mysteries of the heart.
1. Burning Death

Author's Note: I'm back and this time I'm not alone. Give it up for Kibin Okami who has graciously agreed to coauthor this story with me and help me out when the dreaded writer's block strikes as well as give me the idea for it. It's actually been an amazing experience co-writing with another person, I must admit. Together, we have joined forces to tell this tale of fantasy that will inspire world peace and…wait, that's not right… Never mind that last bit. At this point in time, allow me to say don't expect anything. Nothing is set in stone and anything, I repeat _anything_, can happen. So sit back and enjoy _A Streetrat's Tale_.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language, death

A Streetrat's Tale

Burning Death

Dying plain ass sucks.

Solo would be the first to agree with the previous sentence and while he wouldn't be alone in saying this, he at least had some justification. He knew he was dying and he wasn't going down in a good way either. The disease that was destroying him from the inside wasn't letting up and made every gasp of breath a pain filled labor.

Of course, it didn't start off that way. In the beginning it had been a tickling sensation in the back of his throat, something that could easily be fixed by a cough. He hadn't thought much of it at first, something that had been incredibly stupid of him, he would admit, at the time. When you were surrounded by a bunch of sick kids, each of them being killed by the plague that was ravishing the space Colony of L2, a simple cough should have been a warning sign that he too had caught the disease.

But he had ignored it in favor of looking after the others, getting whatever food he could scrounge up and avoiding the Alliance soldiers who seemed to be out in force. Hell, it was getting harder to turn on a fucking water faucet to get a drink of water without one of those Alliance bastards showing up. The cops were more understanding but they could only do shit with the martial law and all.

So when his cough got worse, he had shoved it aside as he tried to make the short life of Billy's more comfortable before he died. When he started feeling hot for no apparent reason, he ignored it to rock a sick Debra to sleep, a sleep from which she would never wake up from. But when he started hacking up blood, then he found he couldn't ignore it any longer and of all times to do it, it had to be in front of Kid.

Yeah, Kid hadn't taken it well at all when he had seen the blood, the long haired brat that Solo held an incredible fondness for suddenly panicking and losing his cool. It took another coughing fit to get him to shut up for a minute but Solo took his opportunity with good grace and calmed the scared Kid down.

He had gotten the other to swear not to tell any of the others what they knew, the short haired, bandana wearing blond aware of what would happen to the others should it ever get out. He didn't want that and neither did Kid once he had time to think about it. Still didn't mean the ratty rugrat was happy with it as he stuck close to Solo's side at all hours of the day.

It's funny, now that he thought about it, that Kid hadn't gotten sick once. He spent all day with sick people but hadn't so much as sneezed. Well good for him, Solo was confident that he would survive. They were streetrats, ya know? Survival was what they knew.

It was all they knew.

As for him, things had gotten worse and worse. All of L2 was suffering and those Alliance assholes were hardly lifting a finger to do anything about it. He hated them before but now he just…hated them more; he didn't know a better word so he was sticking with what he knew.

But damn, screw L2; not only was he coughing up blood but he was starting to piss the shit out! What the hell?! He had less energy than he did before and soon found that he couldn't leave their hideout. He could but it wasn't like he was suicidal yet. He was determined to get through this, just like he had when he had first been abandoned and forced to eat out of garbage cans for a living. However, it seemed that this plague was one thing he couldn't beat.

They had heard a while back that there was an actual cure for this shit. At first, he had been ecstatic, rounding up all the sick kids he had and taking them to the nearest hospital. Reality, of course, had to bite him in the ass when they were turned away. Apparently, you could only get the cure if you had the money to pay for it.

Well that sucked. That meant most of L2 was going to die. Only the wealthy had the money to get theirs cured and they weren't in any hurry to pay for someone else's treatment. There were still loads of the cure in the Alliance base but the only reason they kept the stuff around was so that they could keep the soldiers healthy.

Everyone else was shit out of luck.

So over the past few weeks, they had to watch as their own was killed off one by one and each death was just another nail in his coffin. It was going to be his turn soon, he could feel it. By now, it was known that he was sick but the others were being very quiet about it. Instead of tearing the place down around his ears in their panic, they were trying to keep him alive, foregoing their own meals to keep him alive. It was touching, really.

It had only been a while ago that he noticed that Kid was missing. Had he run away? Or was he hiding so that he could cry in private? Well, even though it was his motto that boys don't cry, Solo knew that there were some things in which crying couldn't be helped. Not that he would be telling everybody about it. He wouldn't want them to think he was crazy right before he died.

But then Kid showed up. Much to the blonde's anger, Kid had snuck into the Alliance base and stole as much of the cure as he could carry. How could that idiot have been so stupid?! He could have gotten himself fucking killed! So much for thinking he was a survivor…

It was only then that it was found out that Kid was one short. Kid was devastated, to say the least. To have gone through…whatever it is that he had gone through just to find out that he was just _one fucking short_ would have crushed even his spirit and he was one of the strongest people he knew. Before it could be decided, however, Solo had taken matters into his own hands…and had refused to take the cure.

Instead he gave it to…what's his name? Pip? Poo? Eh, it was close.

It broke his heart to see the tears of the others; it was clear that they wanted him to live. However, he stood firm, making sure as the others took their doses and stomping down on Kid's suggestion to go back and try to get one more dose.

He didn't want Kid to press his luck and get himself killed. The Alliance would have found out about Kid's break in and step up their security. He didn't want any more bodies on his conscious than there already were.

As the others cried their hearts out, he had Kid help him to get outside of their hideout, so that he could be outside one last time. For hours they had stayed out there, just staring out into the Colony "night" and saying nothing, the silence interrupted by Kid's sniffles and nothing else. He refused to talk about his decision, no matter how many times Kid asked why he did it. Hell, he didn't even want to fucking _think_ about it.

So as he sat up against the wall, Kid cuddled right next to him and hugged him like he was Ashley's teddy bear. Heh, he was really cute like that, ya know? It was a shame that he wasn't going to be there to see him all grown up.

He would be a ladykiller, he could feel it.

The smaller body shifted against him and he felt Kid's head rest against his chest, just above where his heart was. It almost brought tears to his eyes that the muscle that beat erratically would stop in the near future. He wanted it to continue beating, beating for a great many years, seventy or eighty sounded good.

He felt it welling up in him, a pressure that raced up his throat, coming out in an uncontrollable hacking fit that he had no control over anymore. He hadn't had control over it in a long time now that he thought about it. His little fit seemed to have disturbed the resting Kid since the brat lifted his head up and looked at him in concern. Normally he would have done something, like shake a hand, to say he would be okay but right now, he couldn't muster up the control he needed to even lift a hand.

Blood leaked from his mouth in a trickle but it was Kid who wiped it away, rubbing his small hand against his dirty shirt to clean the limb. Solo couldn't help but show a little smile at that.

"Ya okay?" Kid asked worriedly.

"Feel like shit," he answered truthfully. Even now, he refused to break his number one rule, the same rule that he had pounded into Kid's head.

Never lie.

Kid didn't say anything after that, he didn't need to. With a nod of his head, he rested his small head on his chest, his ear pressing down to try and hear the heartbeat within. Solo chuckled as best as he was able, his body rumbling and bringing a smile to Kid's lips.

"Ya gonna be okay?" he finally gasped out, speaking to Kid of his own violation this night.

"No," Kid answered him, shaking his head no, an action that just made it seem like he was burrowing into him. "Ne'er gonna be okay. Not without ya."

"'Course ya gonna be," he replied. "Ya find a place ta be. Grow up nice 'n purdy."

"Boys ain't purdy, Solo," Kid retorted, glaring up at him. "An' I ain't a girl," he added before the blond could say anything along that line.

"'Course ya ain't," he agreed, his weakened smile still present. "Ya're gonna grow up an' be big 'n tall, ain't ya? Ya gonna be strong too. Maybe find somedin' ta do and maybe get married or some shit like dat."

"Ta a girl?" Kid wrinkled his nose. "I wanna marry you Solo! Not some dumb broad! So don't'cha die on me!"

"Marry me?" Solo repeated wryly. "Heh, didn't know boys could marry boys. 'Nother dream of yours?"

"No, it ain't!" Kid protested. "It ain't a dream! Ya'll see!"

"'Course I will," he said, humoring Kid. "Just—"

Another hacking fit interrupted him but searing pain came with it. His bony thin body nearly convulsed from it and once again blood spilled from his mouth. It took more time than he would admit before the fit passed him and by then he was feeling so lightheaded.

"Solo? Ya okay?" Kid asked, fear in his voice.

Solo didn't answer as he stared straight ahead as if in a trance. He was still alive since Kid could see his chest still rising and falling with every ragged breath he took but there was something different about him. Narrowing his eyes, Kid looked closer at his face and placed a finger on a bit of liquid that had leaked from the blonde's eyes.

He recoiled in horror as he realized that the liquid was blood.

It was then that Solo was able to pull himself back together but he could see the absolute terror in Kid's face and he easily noticed the bit of blood on his fingertip. He had felt Kid touch him earlier so he knew where that blood came from. He looked like he was in the final stage of the plague. Everyone always bled from their eyes before death came for them.

"Solo? Solo!" Kid panicked. "There's still time! I can go back and—"

"No!" he snapped, his green eyes flashing with their trademark intensity that the blond was known for. However, the sharp retort gave way for the more subdued tone as he repeated himself, "No. Too late already. Been too late fer a few days I reckon."

"Please Solo," Kid begged. "Please!"

He opened his mouth again to answer but instead of word came more coughs. A huge wad of blood was spat out and it stained the front of his shirt, even as more blood flowed out after it.

"Solo!" Kid cried as he wrapped his arms around him.

"It's…alright…" he panted. "Gonna be…okay…" He choked, trails of bloody tears rolling down his cheeks. "Take care of da others…you can do dat? Right?"

"Solo," Kid whispered.

His head lolled back as his body throbbed with pain, his heart on the verge of giving out. It was at this time that he felt that there was someone else there, someone watching them yet being too much of a chickenshit to do anything about it. He could see him, least he thought it was a him, peering at him over Kid's shoulder…and was that a wave?

For a second, he knew who it was that was watching them but it became meaningless as his vision blurred into darkness and all feeling left him.

---

Being dead…what could he say about it?

Nothing now that he wasn't alive anymore…

It was like he was in the middle of a river, or something like that, and that he was just floating on it as it carried him down stream. He felt no energy whatsoever but that was just fine with him. He didn't feel like moving anyway.

Now, he didn't know whether or not his eyes were open, nor did he care, but he felt that he was surrounded by a dark, icky blackness that was oppressive yet not overbearing at the same time. It was just there.

Not that he minded. He wouldn't have been able to do anything about it if he did.

He had no worries here, no little kids to depend on him, needing him to take care of them and whatever. His whole world just consisted of him just lying right there and not doing anything whatsoever. He could probably just do this forever and not care about a thing…

_PAIN!_

Burning searing pain! It had come suddenly and without warning and Solo could only convulse with it, his mouth wide open in a silent scream. His eyes opened (thus answering the earlier question of were his eyes closed) only to be blinded by the bright white light that surrounded him and pierced right into his brain.

And from there, even more pain, if that were possible, wrapped around him like a blanket and intensified with every passing second. His nerves were on fire as they screamed in agony at him and it was only a short while later that he realized that the pain had stopped.

Sure his body was throbbing with pain and every throb he felt made him want to curl up and die again but at least he wasn't being—

Not again! The burning pain washed over him and poured down into his lungs. He tried to cough it all out but it seemed that by opening his mouth, he just let even more pain in to torture him so. It just wasn't fair. What had he ever done to deserve something like this?

Well…

No! That stuff wasn't important! Even though it was pretty funny that one time—NO! Just, no!

Ah! Damn, now it felt like he was covered in fire. Flames engulfed him and blazed through out his body, moving through his veins and arteries and into every cell. Oh God, oh God, OH GOD, it hurt!

Wait…since when was death suppose to be so painful? It—DEAR JESUS! Please make it stop! He'll do anything, just please make it stop!

Oh…well that seemed to have worked. He wasn't drifting anymore but at least the pain had dulled so much that it was merely a headache. His body, though, was completely stiff and rigid and it wasn't surprising that he found he could hardly move. He could feel a source of warmth glide over him, heading down towards his feet, stop, and then move back up towards his head.

The motions of this heat or whatever it was continued like this for a couple more times before it just faded away as if it had never been there. Yet he made no intent to open his eyes, half fearing that the bright white light would blind him again.

Then, once again without warning, he was struck by one last wave of pain and a gasp escaped his mouth only for air to come rushing back into him. He had to cough as the sudden intake was too much but he found that it was easier for him to move his body.

And that it was sore, incredibly sore.

"It's about time you came to," an annoyed voice muttered from somewhere above him.

Wait, since when could he hear things again? He didn't think that the dead could even hear…much less feel agonizing pain.

"Still, I guess it would be best to give you some more shut eye," the voice said grudgingly. "So, _sleep_."

As if someone had flicked a switch, he was out like a light.

---

When Solo finally came to, the first thing he noticed was that he was sore, incredibly sore, like he had run all around L2 with Kid on his back without stopping once. That was taking into account the size of the Colony, all the pathways to avoid gangs, rapists, and the occasional group of Alliance soldiers, and just how heavy Kid could get without trying.

But back to the here and now, man was his body _tired_. If he hadn't just woken up, he would've gone back to sleep and enjoy the absence of soreness with the bliss of unconsciousness. Hell, that sounded like a good idea; why didn't he do that?

A second later, cold water splattered onto his head and he was fully awake, sputtering as he tried to get rid of the water that had gotten into his mouth and nose and replace it with sweet, sweet air. Sitting up, he glared, searching for who dared to splash _him_ with water and oh God it hurt to move.

Unceremoniously, he flopped backwards onto his back and groaned out his misery.

"You know, it would probably be smarter to just lie still for a bit. You're still recovering you know."

There it was again! It was that voice from earlier, from when he was dead! Cracking open his eyes, making sure that he wouldn't be blinded again, he searched out the source of the voice, slowly turning his head despite the protests of the stiff muscles in his neck until he caught sight of very lean yet muscular, tall man that was watching him with a look of amusement.

Solo was sure he had never seen that shade of blond before, the way the short, wavy locks were a near white color and the way those hardened blue eyes that were somewhat slanted stared into him gave him the creeps. Still, you couldn't say that the guy was ugly. To tell the truth, he was _hot_.

Wait, why didn't that sound right…?

The man leaned against the solid concrete wall that formed the small room that the blonde streetrat found himself in, his arms crossed over his jacket-clad torso and legs crossed with a masculine manner. The corners of his lips twitched upwards but other than that, there was no movement from the guy whatsoever.

It was freaky.

"What are ya lookin' at?" Solo demanded. "You gonna take advantage of me or somedin'?"

"No thank you, I am in no way that inclined," the man replied, a bit of humor coloring his voice. "Why? Do you swing that way?"

Solo blushed a bright crimson color, something he hadn't done since the time Kid had dropped his pants in front of him and asked about why he had a dick.

"Fuck you ass!" he blurted out, still embarrassed.

"That's the thanks I get for saving your ass?" the man scoffed. "I save you from the brink of death and heal you for the past week with hardly any rest and that's what you have to say to me? That's a bit ungrateful, don't you agree?"

"Hey, ya're da one callin' me queer!" Solo retorted back.

"When did I ever say you were a queer?" the man replied, raising an eyebrow. "If anything, I was asking if that was where you're tastes laid. Guess that means you're a skirt chaser who's in denial."

"If I wasn't so fuckin' tired, I'd crack yer skull open," the blonde growled back.

"Onto bodily harm now, eh?" the man drawled. "Good luck with that, brat."

"I dun need luck," Solo defended. "I gots all the skills I need."

"Right," the man replied in a patronizing tone.

"Look ass, I ain't got da time fer this shit," Solo growled as he tried to push himself back up. "Thanks fer lookin' after me and all, but I gotta get back to the others 'fore dey do somedin' stupid, like get dare asses killed."

"You mean that gang of street urchins?" the man said. "And how do you propose you're going to do that? You can't even sit up straight. Besides, they moved out from that building. They could be anywhere. And they believe you to be dead. I don't think they'd take you moving around that well, do you?"

"Ya know yer really annoyin'?" Solo grumbled as he fell back onto his back, only proving this man's point further.

"So I've been told," the man said in reply. "Now lie still. I need to go over you again."

"Wha…?" Solo blinked, not comprehending what the man was saying.

The man rolled his eyes and sighed loudly, as if used to the stupidity of others. Moving away from his post, he approached the prone blond and crouched down next to him, uncrossing his arms and holding his hands above him.

Slowly, a bright green light began to emit from the man's hands and the man lowered them so that the light came into contact with the streetrat's body before moving down to his feet and back up towards his head. Awed and stumped by this display, Solo was rendered speechless for a few minutes, at the end of which he discovered that his body wasn't as sore as before.

If anything, he felt better, as if he had just woken up after sleeping on a hard mattress rather than feeling like he had been hit with a truck.

It took him a few more minutes before he was able to regain control over his voice and he looked up at the man that was now standing again, towering over the blonde.

"What da fuck was that?" Solo uttered, awed beyond belief.

"That, my foul little friend, is what most people would call 'magic,'" the man answered smugly. "The ability to manipulate psychic and psionic energies as well as outside life force energies all with the power of will and belief."

Solo blinked. "What?"

"Guess I should have just called it magic and shut up," the man groaned, rolling his eyes for a second time. "Shouldn't have expected someone like you to have understood."

"Hey, what's dat suppose ta mean?" Solo narrowed his eyes and glared at the man.

"Never mind," the man said, waving the matter away. "So you wanted to go, right? Here's your chance."

"Like hell I will!" Solo retorted. "Dat shit is neat! I ain't leavin' yer ass 'til ya teach me some of dat shit."

"So you can cause wanton destruction and expose all those others who have made magic their lives, thus endangering them to the Alliance military who would like nothing more than to use them as a brand new weapon? I think not."

"At least teach me that healin' trick!" Solo protested. "Those Alliance bastards are hoardin' all that cure away from us, like they're trying ta kill us off. Ya gotta at least let me help!"

"I don't owe you anything," the man stated coldly. "I may have saved your life because I felt sorry for you but don't think that we're going to be chums and I'll teach you everything I know. It doesn't work like that, kiddo."

"I just want ta help my gang!" Solo nearly yelled, his desperation audible in his voice. "I can't let 'em die like dat. Please, mister. Help me!"

"Sorry, but I can't," the man replied icily. "As much as I'd like to help…well, no. I've already done too much already. I'm not about to make another mistake."

"Yer makin' a mistake right now," Solo growled. "Yer pissin' me off. You dun want me as an enemy. I'll make yer life a livin' hell."

"We make our own hells," the man said. "But…" he paused, "…if you're so…set on this. I _might_ be willing to take you on if…"

"What?" Solo demanded. "I'll do anydin'."

"Anything?" the man raised his eyebrow. "Well then, if you want me to teach you, you will not leave my side. That means no going back to your gang or trying to help some poor schmuck that comes across our way. You will do everything I tell you when I tell you to, how I want you to. If this is not what you want, then I bid you _adieu_ and we go our separate ways."

Solo stared, flabbergasted. He…he couldn't be serious! Was he really asking him to abandon the gang? Leave them to be torn to shreds on the L2 streets? Then again, he thought bitterly, what's to say that wouldn't happen if he did go back? If he stuck around here, then he could learn things, amazing things, things he could use to help everyone.

"Alright," he finally spoke. "I'll do it."

"Are you sure?" the man asked, dubiously.

"Positive," Solo confirmed, his green eyes determined. "Yer gonna be teaching me magic, like that Harry Potter shit. Why wouldn't I?"

The man snorted. "Kiddo, Harry Potter is for pussies and drag queens. _This_ is real magic."

He only held an arm out but Solo threw himself back as a blast of magical energy shot from the outstretched palm and slammed into one of the walls, blasting a large hole into it.

Solo could only stare as tendrils of smoke rose from the sides of the hole. "Whoa."

"Impressive, eh?" the man said nonchalantly. "Well, you better get over that real soon. Oh, by the way, you're fixing that."

Solo's eyes bulged.

"_WHAT?!!_"


	2. Hard Lessons in Patience

Author's Note: Alright, here's chapter 2, the education of Solo as it were. Expect the unexpected, stay in school, don't sniff glue and all that jazz. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

Hard Lessons in Patience

…_In other news, today tragedy struck on L2. In a confrontation between Alliance militia and rebel forces, a church and orphanage were destroyed. All church members and orphans died alongside the rebels who took them hostage and set fire to the building when surrounded by Alliance troops…_

---

It had been a few months since he had come under Adrian's (the man who had saved him) wing and begun learning about how to use magic. The going was slow, frustratingly so, and there was many a time when the blond urchin had lost his patience and temper.

"Your will is the key into manipulating these energies," Adrian had told him. "The very fact that your heart was still beating when I found you attests that you indeed have a strong will."

"Den why isn't anydin' happenin'?" Solo demanded, his hands held out from his body awkwardly.

"You're not doing it right," Adrian replied.

"Hey! I'm doin' every fuckin' ding ya told me ta do!"

"And still, you're not _doing_ it right," Adrian repeated. "Your pigheadedness astounds me sometimes."

"Fuck you," Solo snarled, glaring at his teacher.

"So I've heard," Adrian said wryly. "Do you know any other insults besides that?"

In response, he was bombarded by a litany of phrases and insults that were so profane that the elder blond could only blink stupidly at them. He had to cut the other blond off with a little jolt of magic, one that caused the streetrat to freeze up and spasm.

And then, like a miracle, Adrian could see the sparks of magical energies flare from the younger's fingertips. He knew that that hadn't been _his_ powers because he could _feel_ the energy's signature. Oh yes, they were getting somewhere now. Perhaps all that had been needed was a little push?

"What da hell was dat?!" Solo bellowed at the man.

Adrian raised an eyebrow (he had been doing that a lot lately…). Why wasn't he surprised that at the first sign of progress, his "student" missed it because he was paying too much attention to him and not his hands?

Well, there was certainly one way to rectify that.

"Why are you looking at me?" he demanded. "You should be looking at your hands. Those are the major conduits from which your magic will arrive."

"What?" Solo asked blankly.

"You know…perhaps we should start with something else," Adrian finally spoke after regaining _his_ tentative hold on his temper. "Perhaps we should start with vocabu…speech! Yes, speech!"

"'Peech?" Solo repeated.

"You're going to speak like a normal human being if it's the last thing I do!" Adrian said cheerfully. "While we're at it, let's put some meat on your bones," he added, eyeing the blond's bone thin body. "The endurance and stamina will come in handy in your training. Maybe this was why I was never allowed to teach?"

Solo stared at his "teacher" with wide eyes. How had he gotten himself into this again?

---

…_Today marks the end of marital law on L2. Alliance military forces have pulled back from their unjustified occupation of the Cluster but have yet to allow transports to resume running. People celebrated in the streets as…_

---

Despite not having seen the light of day, or what passes for day on L2, for some time, Solo always awoke at the same time. Early. Now that was just sad seeing as how he didn't need to go rooting through dumpsters anymore.

Sigh, it was times like these when he began to think about the old gang and wonder what they were doing. Were they even still alive? Or had they all been rounded up and put in orphanages? And how was Kid doing? He still felt a bit guilty just leaving them all so that he could learn some cool stuff but whenever he thought about Kid, the guilt he felt for the gang paled in comparison. It wasn't everyday that you died in your favorite brat's arms, ya know? Must've scared the crap out of him or something.

Still, it was for Kid and the gang that he was learning all this shit. Least, that was the reason he told Adrian. After a year or so of this, he began to wonder why he really chose to do this. To tell the truth, even now he still didn't know, especially after he had admitted to himself that it wasn't for some noble cause as he constantly said it was.

Heh, he used the word constantly. That hadn't been a word he known before.

That was also something that was bothering him. Why the hell was Adrian teaching him how to read and fucking write in the first place? He was a streetrat! He didn't need to know that shit! The only thing that he really didn't argue over was those exercises that Adrian made him do. Being faster and stronger wasn't a bad thing. They'd come in handy when he got back out onto the streets again.

But damn it, he was still trying to learn that fucking magic, man! Adrian always kept telling him that he wasn't doing it right but he fucking did everything he was told! What was that asshole's problem? Was he getting a power trip out of this or something?

"Up again early, I see," Adrian greeted as he creeped up on him again, scaring the shit out of the blond for the countless time.

"Goddamn it! Make some noise, would ya?" Solo snapped, his hand pressed over his heart as if he was trying to clutch the muscle.

"No," Adrian just stated, a small smile perking at his lips. Fucking figures the jackoff was getting off on scaring him. Well, seeing as how he was here now, he guessed it was that time again.

"Medication time, huh?" he asked dryly as he sat up ramrod straight and crossed his legs into the lotus position as Adrian called it.

"Meditation," Adrian corrected as he took his place next to the streetrat and assumed the identical position, his torso completely bare and revealing all the toned muscles that he had.

When he had first seen Adrian remove his shirt, he couldn't help but stare in awe. He had always been under the impression that people who used magic where skinny and wimpy-like. Adrian couldn't have been any further from that as he truly was powerful, and not just in magic either.

"Remember the steps," Adrian intoned, his voice taking on a hazy quality as he cleared his mind.

Sighing, Solo did the same, clearing his mind from all thoughts and potential distractions. According to Adrian, this was supposed to help him find his center, or some shit, and that would help him to get control over his magic. Even now he still didn't get it and didn't even know what his center even looked like. So how could he find it then?

Adrian, being the asshole that he was, didn't say anything that was helpful, just something about helping yourself.

Well, after long amounts of practice, it was easy for him to slip back into that mental blankness and the silence that came from that was deafening in and of itself. However, perhaps it was due to his frustration of not getting any farther in his lessons that he was unable to stay in this quietness for long. His irritation could only be suppressed for so long before it boiled out and exploded.

That point for Solo was right now.

It just happened. One minute he was in the bliss of thoughtlessness, the next he had just snapped. It was simultaneous; his eyes snapped open just as his temper did and he exploded, his frustrations all coming out at once in a coherent bellow.

"Fuck this shit!"

Adrian cracked open a single eye. "Excuse me?"

Whirling his head to a side to glare at the older man, the blond streetrat snarled, "I'm tired of this fuckin' shit! It's da same fuckin' shit everyday! You ain't teachin' me shit and you're stallin'!"

"These things take time, Solo," Adrian stated as he closed his eye again. "Now, reassume the position and get back to work."

"Like hell!" Solo swore as he stood up to his feet, feeling a small bit of satisfaction at this display of revolt. "All you're doin' is teachin' me useless shit! Why don't ya get to da good stuff already?"

"Because you're not ready," Adrian retorted without opening his eyes. "You can hardly summon the will and control necessary to use magic in the first place. Walk before you run, my pupil."

"I ain't whatever dat is!" Solo growled. "And I'm not gonna do anythin' until ya teach me some magic, _now_."

This time he got a response from Adrian who not only opened his eyes but also looked up at the standing boy. "You think it's easy teaching someone how to do something they have only just heard about?" the man asked pleasantly.

"Hell yeah!" Solo retorted.

"Well, it's not," Adrian continued, as if the blond hadn't said anything. "Learning magic is not just picking up on how to cast spells and that's that. It requires not just talent and ability, both of which are also important, but the very fact that you can access the power with your will alone. When I found you, you had no talent for magic whatsoever, not even the vague sixth sense that would allow you to detect the power within yourself. Right now, I'm just trying to build a foundation for you from scratch. Anyone, absolutely anyone, can learn magic but it's easier when a person already has magic in their blood or has been in constant contact with it for years. You don't and that's why this is taking so long."

"Excuses, excuses," Solo snorted, balling his hands into fists. "You're stallin' and you know it!"

Adrian sighed. Solo was going to be _difficult_ it seemed. Then again, when was he ever not difficult? What had he been thinking when he accepted this boy to be his student? Probably was having a momentary lapse of sanity, knowing his luck…

"I don't make excuses, Solo," he sighed. "You know that. Why would I allow myself to make them when I don't excuse you for not doing something? I'm not a hypocrite."

"A what?" Solo asked, not knowing the word his teacher had just used.

"A hypocrite. You know, someone who says something but does another? Like a politician."

"Oh," Solo breathed, getting it. Then his eyes narrowed again. "No, you're bein' a hypocrat, whatever ya said."

"Solo, just calm down for a second," Adrian said in an attempt to placate the streetrat.

"FUCK THAT!" Solo roared and for a second, he was enveloped in a shimmering aura that lashed at the older magic user who had instinctively brought up a shield at the last second. The aura sustained itself for a few more seconds before it collapsed on itself leaving a panting, wide-eyed Solo who could only stare at the shielded Adrian.

Adrian said nothing for a few minutes, preferring to stare at his student blankly as he lowered his shield. Solo in the meantime began to fidget under that gaze, uneasy and unsure what Adrian would do next.

Then Adrian cocked an eyebrow. "You were saying?"

Solo had the decency to flush in embarrassment and look away.

"Fine accomplishment for someone like you," Adrian continued. "Normally it would take a couple of more years for a beginner with no contact with magic to do something like that."

"Really?" Solo asked eagerly, looking back at Adrian hopefully.

"Of course," Adrian shrugged. "Now, do it again."

Solo stared back at Adrian in shock. "What?"

"You heard me," Adrian said. "The only way to get good at something is to practice, practice, practice. Now do it again, with feeling this time."

After failing miserably when he tried, Solo couldn't help but groan aloud. He had a lot of work to do…

---

…_According to various reports from around the Earth, five unidentified objects were detected entering the atmosphere. Eyewitnesses to one of these occurrences claim that at least one of these objects were intercepted by Alliance forces but has since disappeared without a trace. We will report more on this story when more details become available as the Alliance…_

---

It had taken him a few years to get to this point but Solo would say that he was giddy like a kid with a new toy and he wanted nothing more than to show off in front of Adrian. Sure, his maturity level could be called into question by how he acted but he could have cared less.

He was good at something! That had to count for something!

Adrian, being the perceptive asshole that he was, immediately picked up on his happiness and he looked up from whatever it was that he was doing to spare him a glance. "You look happy," he commented. "Something up?"

"Look what I can do," Solo exclaimed, looking predatorily at Adrian.

The man in question stopped what he was doing altogether to give the blond boy his whole attention, not that he didn't need to. A well deserved break couldn't hurt, could it?

Solo's eyes narrowed in concentration as he mumbled the chant that he had been forced to memorize. Adrian nodded at this, noticing how Solo would occasionally skip over a few words here and there. That was a good sign; when one could summon a spell without using the words, it meant that the spell had been completely mastered. The chant, to tell the truth, was nothing more than a focus, just meaningless gibberish that if heard by someone not inducted into the ranks of magic users would have them give you weird looks.

Coming to the end of the chant, his hand held out from his body, Solo's eyes widened further as he exclaimed, "_Valo_!" From the palm of his outstretch hand came a golden light that sprang out from the skin to form a small glowing orb that hovered in the air over the limb.

"What do ya think 'bout that, huh?" Solo challenged, looking quite smug.

Adrian was not impressed.

Sighing, he summoned his own floating, blue glowing orbs without uttering a single word. With a mental command, he shot one of the orbs at Solo's and watched with utter boredom as his blue orb consumed Solo's gold. The boy stared in horror at this, unaware until it was too late that Adrian's other orbs had surrounded him and were orbiting around him at high speeds.

Dismissing the orbs that blinked out of existence in a flash, Adrian turned back to his work, disregarding Solo's presence. "Thanks for giving me some entertainment," he said over his shoulder. "If you really wanted to surprise me, we would have done it without using the chant and put some more energy into it. I know you can do better than that."

And Solo could only stare at his back with a gaping mouth.

---

…_Members of the Alliance, including Field Marshall Noventa, were murdered today outside the New Edwards base where Alliance members were discussing peace agreements between Earth and the Colonies. The perpetrators of this heinous act were the pilots of the five Gundam Mobile Suits that have been spotted attacking various Alliance bases all over the globe. In a public announcement earlier this evening, General Septum, one of the few survivors of the New Edwards attack, issued a declaration of war…_

---

After the humiliation from the orb incident, Solo had dived into his studies with a fervor unlike Adrian had ever seen before. Hell, he hadn't been this studious before when he had first started. It was quite nostalgic and…humbling to say the least.

Not that he would ever admit that out loud, of course.

It had been five, or had it been six, years since he had first found the boy on the brink of death and had felt a twinge of sympathy for him. Whatever force that had taken hold of him had him pick the nearly lifeless body and taken it back to his lair where he had spent over a week healing him. It had been close but he had succeeded from his sheer will alone and maybe a bit of the boy's stubbornness might have helped.

But damn, he was really going at it. It wouldn't be too long until he specialized, Adrian mused. Now that was an exciting thought; what would he specialize in anyway? Fire? Earth? Oh, it was just one big, annoying mystery, one that he couldn't wait to find the answer to.

Still, no rush making him do it now and cripple him magically. Despite the way he treated the kid, he wouldn't do that to him; that would just be too cruel.

In the meantime, though, he would continue to guide the boy, make sure he didn't make the same mistakes he did. Sure, Solo knew that the world was tough out there, but he had no idea just how sinister it could get. Adrian knew first hand; he was still paying for the mistakes he had made and regretted.

"Take this!" he suddenly heard Solo shout from behind him and it was all he could do to raise up his left arm in time to block the magical bolt that was shot at him.

"Hey, no fair!" Solo whined when he saw his surprise attack get stopped. Yet, he didn't feel or see any barrier Adrian might have raised so what gives?

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "Wow, just when I thought you couldn't get any more pathetic."

"I've been workin' on that thing all day!" Solo defended, huffing.

"Then why was its power so tiny that if I had let it hit me, all I would have gotten is a tickle?" Adrian retorted.

"What?" Solo blinked.

Adrian snorted. Figures. "That thing was so weak, I didn't need to raise a shield to protect me," he stated. "All I needed was this little thing here."

Solo's eyes were drawn to the metal bracelet that his teacher had worn from Day 1. He had always been curious about it from the way Adrian didn't wear it on days when he was showing off and on others when he didn't so much as lift a finger to cast a spell.

"Apparently you're still lacking," Adrian sighed, speaking as if he was used to being in the company of idiots. Not that Solo wasn't too far from one… "Iron is a natural element that is resistant to magic," he lectured. "Get enough of it in one place and no amount of magic can touch you. That's why you will hardly find magic users on the Colonies; there's too much iron around to use it properly. Don't you remember your lessons on metals?"

"You never taught me 'bout them!" Solo roared back. "And thanks for takin' your sweet time tellin' me."

Adrian was the one to blink this time. Actually, the brat had a point. Guess now was the time to at least give a rudimentary form of the topic.

"My bad, I guess," he shrugged. "I guess it goes without saying that you know nothing about golds and silvers?"

"Duh," Solo rolled his eyes.

Fingering the gold ring on his right hand, Adrian explained, "Gold and silver, unlike iron, has the ability to augment magic, make it stronger in layman's terms. The more gold and silver you have on you, the more powerful your spells become without you putting anymore energy into them. Why do you think I'm always wearing this ring?"

Solo had noticed the ring before but had guessed that the guy was married or something. Explained a lot how that guy wouldn't let him get near it. Then again, he had had the desire to steal that ring for quite some time. Just the streetrat in him, he guessed.

"Now, do me a favor and do it again," Adrian ordered, holding his left arm back up.

Solo internally panicked. He had just gotten the spell right but in his jumbled up thoughts, he just couldn't remember the spell.

Shit.

---

…_Oz authorities captured one of the Gundam pilot terrorists today. The pilot codenamed 02 was taken into custody and was met by crowds of Colony citizens demanding justice for all those killed in action by him…_

---

The aura that surrounded the now older Solo was calm, flowing over his body with ease, not violently as it had in the past. He had been getting better at this, getting stronger not just in mind but in body as well. It was now that he realized the real reason why Adrian had him do those physical exercises. Using magic not only used magical energies but your own body's energies as well. So being in perfect physical condition was a necessity until you managed to beef up your threshold for containing as much magic as you could.

According to Adrian, there were those out there that were flabby and others who couldn't run a lap to save their lives yet were capable of wielding awesome power. However, they wouldn't be able to do it for long and that was where the physical endurance came in.

By now he had really calmed down and become more patient than he had ever before. It was just amazing how disciplined he was becoming.

As of right now, though, he was suppose to be doing something important. Adrian had given him instructions earlier, instructions that were supposed to help him become more "specialized" or something like that.

Well, whatever it was, he had been in his "center" for what seemed like hours already. Once again, he was in the position of searching for something yet had no idea as to what it exactly looked like, with the exception of a too vague description, or what it felt like. Fucking needle in a haystack, he swore.

Still, Adrian had yet to let him down so he should just do what he said, he guessed. Didn't mean he had to enjoy it though.

Wait. There had been something…odd that he felt. He couldn't exactly see it with his mind's eye but now that he had sensed it, he had a better idea of where it was. This was strange; this thing, whatever it was that he had found resembled the description of what Adrian told him to find. Guess it couldn't hurt to mess with it a bit.

Apparently, just by "touching" it, something was happening. It scared him a bit as he had no idea of what was going on but then he was floored with the amount of power that poured through him.

Snapping open his eyes, the darkness all around him went into a frenzy.

---

…_Earth is going to war with the Colonies. Colonel Treize Khushrenada has taken the reins of the military and has begun mobilizing troops, sending them to station at the MO2 satellite to await the command to engage with the White Fang Colonial Rebel force that is currently commanding the rogue Battlestation Libra. Already White Fang under the command of Milliardo Peacecraft has taken the initiative and attacked the Earth itself in a horrifying attack…_

---

It was drawing to a close, much to Adrian's sorrow. He had really enjoyed the experiences he had shared with his pupil but the boy was adamant that he wanted to return to the outside world, to find any traces of his old gang. Not that there was anything wrong with that but it brought tears to his eyes how much stronger and mature Solo had become.

He'd say that something got into his eye first before he would admit that though. Damn allergies…

Was this what it felt like to create something? To actually have a hand in creating something and not destroying it? To give it some direction to go in and watch as it grew further with paternal attachment?

It was a gratifying experience to watch as he raised Solo into a magician from the ashes of Solo the orphan gang leader. It was a legacy that was not one that was impossibly stained with the blood of others, but one that he could be proud of, a light from the dismal existence that he called his life.

In the meantime, he awaited for when his student would emerge from his final test: an illusion that he had built that would force the boy—no, the _man_—to face against himself, to endure the scathing of his mind, confronting him with deeds long forgotten and fears that he had yet to liberate himself from.

It was a final exam of sorts, one where either you passed or you failed, with no middle ground whatsoever. Adrian was confident that Solo would pass it; he had never been so sure of anything else in his life. If there was anyone that could do it, he was sure it would be Solo.

However, Solo had yet to emerge from his test and the more time passed, the more anxious Adrian became. There were doubts, of course, but then again a teacher was rarely permitted to construct the test itself. He was breaking a lot of rules here but then he had never been one for rules before.

Perhaps that was why he had accepted Solo as his student in the first place.

It was faint at first, but Adrian was quick to pick up on the sounds of footsteps making their way towards him. Even now, Solo walked so quietly that it was eerie and Adrian had to strain his ears just to pick it up.

Turning towards the man that had grown to exceed him in height, he bottled up all the swirling emotions within him and presented a blank face as he eyed the frazzled blond before him. It really did look like he had gone through hell and back as his eyes held the telltale signs of weeping, his hair was in uncharacteristic disarray, and every motion he made lacking energy.

"Well?" Adrian finally asked when Solo was not forthcoming.

Solo was silent for a moment before finally, _finally_ speaking up. "You ever do that to me again, and I'll fucking gut ya," he stated. "I passed, you fucking asshole. Disappointed?"

On the contrary, Adrian could have never been more proud.

---

…_Citizens of the Earth and Colonies rejoiced today as hostilities were finally put to rest. The rebel group White Fang as of this moment has reportedly disbanded and negotiations between Earth and Outer Space to form a unified government will begin sometime later this month. As for the mysterious Gundam pilots who appeared sometime last year and courageously helped to save the planet from imminent destruction, all five have vanished out of sight, leaving no trace of their selves…_


	3. The Past Catches up to You

Author's Note: At this point in time, the story is taking place between the defeat of White Fang and the Mariamaia Incident, a.k.a. Endless Waltz. That is just a reference so don't be getting it into your heads that we're further along than we are. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language, violence, death

The Past Catches up to You

Wow.

When you've been removed from society for eight or nine years, everything changes. L2 looked less grungy than it did nearly a decade ago but you could still tell it was poor. The lack of Alliance troops were immediately noted, the lack of gunshots in the air a bit discerning, and the fact that some old haunts were completely gone…it was almost a bit much to take in all at once.

This was the world that Solo now found himself trudging into. He was acting on the suggestion from Adrian to go out and check out what things were like now that he was done with his training. He had taken the suggestion with gusto and with a bank card that allowed him access into Adrian's funds, he went out to not only get some things but to see if he could get any word on his old gang.

What he found instead was news of a massacre, a war, five terrorists in indestructible Mobile Suits, the fall of the Alliance, a couple of revolutions, a few more wars, and the saving of the world

Well, shit.

What could he say to all that? Not a damn thing. Also, any news on finding the old gang was on the nil side. He was able to gather a few clues that most of the orphan gangs had been rounded up after he left and were placed into various orphanages, one of which was a bombed out church, the site of the previously mentioned massacre.

He hoped that Kid and the others hadn't been there.

When scaring the shit out of old contacts got boring and produced nothing else, shit included, he decided to go on his predetermined shopping spree and get a few things that he was going to need. It wasn't that he wanted to leave Adrian as soon as possible but more like he wanted to find his old family as soon as possible. Kid and the others were out there waiting for him, he could feel it. Hell, he could probably find Kid first since he would more than likely know what happened to everyone else. That would make things a lot easier but first he had to find him.

Entering the large shopping complex that he knew had to be new, he whistled at the size of it before setting out to do what he needed. A large duffle bag was at the top of the list so where was he to go to find luggage…?

---

Ah, it was the first time he had been alone in years yet it wasn't the welcoming feeling that he thought it would be. Adrian sighed; Solo's presence was larger than life. He was going to miss him when he left and the days, hours, were numbered.

For most of his life, despite his good looks, he had been a loner, always isolating himself from others just because he didn't like being sociable. The first chance he had to make a life for himself; he had taken it and had left his family and all of those who knew him behind. It hadn't been one of his better decisions since it ultimately brought him here and there were many things he had done that he still regretted.

He sometimes wondered if any of them missed him. Wondered if they ever paused and thought about where he was, if he was even still alive? It was those thoughts that hadn't plagued him in years since Solo had come in, quite loudly in fact, and forced his way in just so he could learn some "cool shit."

Damn, he was almost starting to talk like the brat, even in his thoughts. He must really be getting soft.

The silence that had once been his best friend was now suddenly very oppressive. It wasn't the warm kind of silence that you would enjoy just because you wanted to be by yourself for a bit and out of the company of others but the cold kind that spoke to you that you were alone, and not just alone but lonely as well. It was the kind that caused depression, that could bring even the brightest and more energetic of folk to their knees and shiver just because they needed to feel something, anything.

He was supposed to be used to it by now. Apparently he wasn't.

Yes, while it was true that he had given Solo the idea to go out and explore for the day, he couldn't help but think that it wasn't such a…well, a good idea. It was just one of those days, you know? The kind where nothing could go right and everything would go wrong yet the day would unfold to become completely uneventful? It was rare for those feelings to pop up but when they did, it would put him on edge for the whole day and he hated when that happened.

Still, it was inevitable that Solo would be spreading his wings and if there was no place for him in the immediate, or even the distant, future he'd have to settle for it. There were some things you couldn't fight and then there were others where it just wasn't worth putting up the effort.

Solo fell into that latter category.

There was a booming knock on the large sliding metal door that served as the main entrance to his little lair. Adrian raised an eyebrow at that; Solo hadn't been gone that long. Or had he? And he wasn't using a simple levitating spell to open the door either? Probably just being lazy to get on his nerves. Adrian wouldn't put it past the blond to do it either.

Pulling the door to the side with slight irritation, he was about to throw his verbal barb at his pupil only for the words to turn to ash in his mouth. Instinct screaming at him, he threw himself to the side as a large ball of flame erupted through the open doorway, incinerating everything that got in its way. Scrambling away, he fled deeper into his lair, trying to regroup and ready himself for a counterstrike.

It was perhaps a good thing then that this place was a maze of rooms and hallways then. It would give him some breathing room…unless…

"Did you really think you could hide from us, Adrian Branwen?" the voice of the intruder thundered. "You thought you could steal and then desert? You knew better. You _should_ have known better."

Crap, from the way that voice was getting louder, the intruder was heading right for him and getting closer. He must be using a locater spell or maybe he was seeing through the walls themselves. That was not good.

Luckily he wasn't wearing iron today; that would have been a hindrance he would have rather not had.

Just as his assailant was about to turn the corner, Adrian had his hand held straight in front of him and as soon as the attacker came into view, he hollered, "_Valo!_" The orb of blue light flashed into his hand and the intruder was blinded by the sudden light as he cried out in surprise.

Pouring more power into the orb, he blasted it forth with lethal intent, the attack skinning the intruder as he back to a side, the smell of singed hair filling the air. Creating more blue orbs, he filled them with more magical energy and shot them off one at a time, the orbs ricocheting off the opposite hallway and bouncing down the intersecting hallways.

He heard his attacker yelp and then felt a surge of energy. It took him a second to recall what the intruder's spell felt like and when he did, his eyes widened as he spun around and raised a shield to catch the teleporting intruder's second fiery strike.

"You still have it," the gruff man sneered.

"They sent _you_?" Adrian spat back. "Are they low on members or really desperate?"

"You're insults won't work for you this time," the intruder retorted as he teleported again.

Adrian smirked and ducked just as one of his ricocheting orbs shot overhead. The intruder's eyes widened and he slammed himself into the wall to avoid the attack, giving Adrian the opening he needed. Holding out his right hand, the fingers curled in, he shouted "_Pultti!_" and blasted a magical bolt.

His shot rang true as the intruder screamed in pain and he smirked. However, his moment of triumph was short lived as the intruder got past his pain enough to fire another ball of flame. Unable to dodge the large attack or raise a shield, Adrian crossed his arms in front of his head and weathered the attack. He wouldn't lie, that not only stung but it burned like a bitch!

Emerging from the flames that had encompassed him, he growled and began moving his hands in certain gestures, his hands taking an ominous blue glow before he lunged at the intruder, swiping at him with the radiating hands. The intruder ducked and Adrian's fingers clawed into the wall, digging in and leaving claw marks in his wake. He slashed and sliced, occasionally moving out of the way as one of his orbs came too close but did not stop with his assault.

He would not let this asshole get the privilege to hit him again.

Entering back into the main living room, Adrian swayed to a side, looking at the intruder like he was a piece of meat instead of the living entity that he was. He ignored any banter that was thrown at him as he returned to the predatorial mindset that had made him a Chief Assassin so many decades ago.

There were many things that Solo did not know, both about him and the outside world. It was something that he had hoped to shield him from but after this, he knew his nosy student would be demanding answers when he got back.

Well, he'd worry about that later when he wasn't trying to butcher the idiot that had dared to track him down.

By now, the intruder was bleeding from multiple wounds, both from the orbs that had collided throughout the skirmish and from the cuts Adrian had made via his glowing hands. He was winning; there was no doubt about it. It was funny now that he thought about it; why was he so worried earlier in the first place?

"Fucker," the intruder spat. "Do you honestly think that you can stand against us?"

"I'm not standing against anyone," he replied, speaking for the first time since he had unleashed his homicidal side.

"_Typerys,_" the intruder spat. "You'd think they'd let you just go without a fight? You know too much and they want you _dead_, one way or the other. Even if by some miracle you last the year, it won't matter once they get their hands on you know what."

"What?" Adrian's eyes widened. "You mean…?"

"Oh yes," the intruder laughed. "They're closing in on him and it's only a matter of time until we have his powers. Then nothing can stand up to us, not even this so called peace. Hell, we would've had him had it not been for the wars."

"And what would you say if I already found what you were looking for," Adrian countered, "and that I already put some protections on him? They'll last for a little while longer yet."

"Then I guess I'll have to take you in alive," the intruder growled.

"Please, I already erased the information," Adrian retorted. "Not even they can get me to remember."

"Then I guess you're worthless," the intruder hissed. "Good thing you said that. I wouldn't want this to go to waste!"

Adrian gasped. "You wouldn't!"

"If I have to die to take you out, so be it!" the intruder bellowed as he glowed orange before all the magical energies within him exploded outwards.

Adrian had barely raised his shield in time but that wouldn't be able to protect him for long. A self-destruction was difficult to block against, even under the best of circumstances. His shield broke halfway through the eruption and Adrian felt himself being swallowed up into the scathing heat that attempted to burn him to a crisp.

He had no idea how it was that he did it but he managed to endure. His skin was burned and most of his clothes were in tatters but he had survived again. He almost felt like laughing.

Taking in his surroundings, he let out a laugh anyway. Everything visible was blackened, the walls bulging outwards and away from the source of the intruder's self-destruct and small fires littered the place here and there. Looks like he was going to have to find a new haven now.

"It's so good to see that you haven't lost your touch, Branwen."

His blood froze at the sound of that voice. It…it couldn't be! So the dead bastard hadn't been alone. If _he_ was here, then…

He knew it was a mistake the moment he did it, but he turned to face the dark clad figure that stood in the front entrance. Immediately he was captured in the pitch black eyes of the figure and he froze up, his will, everything locked away making him nothing more than a puppet.

Much to his surprise though, his mind wasn't locked away completely. He was still conscious and aware of everything but he couldn't move a single muscle. The figure chuckled and moved towards him, touching him on the cheek with a long, clawed finger and rubbing his delicate thumb under his lip like a lover would.

"It's truly a shame that you got yourself into this," the figure said in mock-lamentation. "I always found you to be so ruggedly handsome, you know. I always wanted to get to know you _more_."

If he could have said anything, he would have but because he couldn't he could only glare at his captor balefully.

"Aw, don't be like that," the figure said lightly as he circled around him, licking his lips. "You can still be useful. All you have to do is tell me about where to find it and I'll let you live. Heh, I'll do more than that; I'll make sure you live forever."

Feeling control over his vocal cords once again, Adrian spat, "Never, you fucking sick bastard. Even if I could, I'd never tell you."

"You will," the figure hissed dangerously yet sensually into his ear. "Now, tell me everything, my little puppet. Tell me everything you know about our Mage."

"I…remember…nothing!" Adrian grunted out. He had been worried there for a second but it looks like those hypnotic powers were unable to get through his memory spells.

"Pity," the figure said, moving away from him ominously. "You had so much potential, so much to offer. Such a waste, wouldn't you agree?"

"I don't," he stated gruffly.

"I guess there's only one thing to do now," the figure shrugged. "Take your hand and impale it into your chest," he ordered.

Adrian found he couldn't disobey.

---

He had never known he could splurge like that before. It was as if he had been hypnotized and forced to buy as much crap as he could possibly carry. With that said, Solo had emerged from the shopping complex with a stuffed duffel bag loaded with all sorts of crap that he knew he was going to need or just plain hell wanted. What was even more surprising was how loaded Adrian was. He could probably buy half of L2 with all that money!

But he had more important things to worry about, like how he was going to carry all this shit back to Adrian's without his arms falling off. Sure he had gained a lot of physical strength over the past few years but you could only hold something heavy for so long until you got tired.

A few pit stops here and there was the temporary remedy for this. After a while though, he began to have his doubts as whenever he picked the duffel bag up, it felt like he was trying to lift a rock that was getting heavier and heavier after each rest he took. Add to the fact that he was in L2, one of the most dangerous Colonies to be on, and that he probably had a bull's-eye on his back because of all the stuff he was carrying…well, you get the picture.

He couldn't wait to get back so he could actually rest and figure out just what he didn't need so that he could dump it on Adrian. That was going to go over well and Solo found he was anticipating the fireworks to come from it. Once you knew what his buttons were, the guy was just so easy to provoke that it wasn't funny. Even Alliance troops didn't get pissed off so quickly.

Finding the door to the place wide open put a damper on his mood; looks like Adrian figured him out before he could force the guy to let him in, something he could easily do with a spell. Well, that was another bit of fun ruined by that asshole. He was going to have to figure out a way to get back at him for this.

However, this train of thought was immediately put to a stop as he entered the lair and found it a warzone instead of the sparse yet comfortable base of operations that it was. Holy fuck, did a bomb go off here or something?

He dropped the duffel bag, not caring if anything broke, and ran into the smoking place, hoping against hope that this was just some kind of experiment that blew up in Adrian's face. The longer he searched for any life, the more dread he felt balling up in his gut. He wasn't liking this, not one bit.

He had probably made a full sweep of the place before he noticed a body lying propped up against the wall, a pool of blood leaking from it and that gave Solo more cause to be alarmed. Oh please God, please don't let it be who he thought it was.

Closer examination only confirmed his worst fears and the blond streetrat found himself on his knees, his hands on Adrian's shoulders and shaking the man, hoping to get some sort of response from him. He was scared, truly and absolutely scared. He hadn't felt like this since he had nearly died all those years ago…

Crap, what were the chants for those healing spells?

It took him a few seconds, a few seconds too long he would add, before he was able to straighten his thoughts and summon the energy necessary to create that green light that was always emitted when healing was invoked. He ran his hands over Adrian, pouring as much energy into the spell as he could without giving up too much.

He didn't want there to be two bodies.

Wait, what was that? Were his eyes…? Yes…yes they were! Oh thank you God, thank you!

Adrian's eyes blearily opened, hazed and uncomprehending of what was going on but Solo couldn't have felt more happier. This was a good sign, right? Right.

"Ya really fucked up this time, didn't ya?" he managed to crack, a half grin contorting his lips. "Ya do something wrong? Put iron too close to ya?"

It took Adrian a minute to figure out that Solo was right next to him but Solo didn't pay that any mind. He probably had a concussion or something.

"I…wish…" Adrian breathed, blood leaking from his mouth at a startling rate. Oh fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck! What did the asshole do this time?!

"Shit," he swore.

Adrian chuckled but it wasn't a good natured one. No, there was something more ominous with this one. "Sorry kiddo… Looks like my past finally caught up with me…"

"Your past? What da fuck are ya talkin' 'bout?" Solo demanded, falling back into old speech patterns.

"I wanted…to protect you from it…" Adrian gasped out as he removed his hand from his chest, revealing to the blond the extent of the damage.

"Oh fuck!" Solo cursed, bringing the green light towards the sickening wound. What the fuck had happened here?!

"Don't bother," Adrian said, his voice light yet hollow. "It's too late for me."

"No it's not!" Solo shouted. "Ya save me an' I was more dead den you! Let me help!"

"No." It was Adrian's authoritative tone that forced the blond into pause. Despite his weakened, dying state, he was still capable of that. That was a good thing, right?

"Solo, listen to me…carefully," Adrian said. Solo leaned in closer, straining his ears to hear his mentor better. "This is…important. Don't fucking slack off…on me now…"

"That's it?" Solo asked incredulously.

"Pay attention!" Adrian snapped. Even on his deathbed, the brat just had to be difficult.

Solo shut up, waiting for whatever it was that Adrian wanted to tell him. He wasn't sure what exactly he was trying to tell him but he'd stay silent this one time to be sure that he didn't miss it.

After a few minutes of silence that went on too long for Solo's taste, Adrian finally spoke up. "Beware…beware The Collective. Stay away from them, Solo. They are…too dangerous…even for you to handle. And…and protect that…which is closest…to your heart. Protect it! Protect it before they take it away…"

What the fuck was he talking about?

Adrian coughed and with that more blood emerged from his throat, filling the blond with fear and wiping away his confusion for a moment. For now, his concern was reserved fully by Adrian who was slipping through his fingers with every passing moment.

As he was about to disregard his mentor's will and try and heal him, Adrian came about one last time and captured him with sharp eyes. "Don't do it," he said warningly. "I know what you want to do. Just don't. I've already lived my life…and now it's time for you to live yours. Go find your friends and…pick up where you left off."

"Dey've been without me fer years," Solo argued back. "Dey can wait a little longer."

"No, they can't," Adrian replied as his voice fell back into that soft tone again. "I'm asking you now…as a friend…go to them. You have the power now. Protect them with it."

As the blond youth stared in bewilderment, it took him a bit to catch sight of the strange sparkles of light that rose from his mentor's body.

"What is dis?" he asked, his confusion still evident in his voice.

"Not all…self destructs are booms…you know…" Adrian whispered, a small smile curling his lips before his eyes close permanently. Solo continued to watch in horror as the man who had raised him for so many years dissolved into dust as every bit of magical energy left him, every trace of life escaping from the collapsed shell that had once been Adrian.

Solo remained where he was for some time, unaware if it was minutes or hours that passed him but when he finally did move, it was to punch the floor with a fist, a loud cry of anger and anguish echoing out into the empty lair.

He was alone again.

---

Nearly two years had passed since that day, the day where his life crashed down all around him for the second (or was it the third?) time. A strained peace, a Christmas Eve revolution, and a few months worth of peace later found him on Earth for the first time in his life.

To see a sunrise, to feel real cool night air, to look up at the sky and see what was so special about the moon was mind-blowing to the former L2 streetrat. If he never had to leave this planet, it still wouldn't be enough time to enjoy it all but first he had business to attend to.

After leaving Adrian's abandoned lair and having all his funds transferred to different accounts, he had begun the search for the old gang. Access to the L2 government archives had been denied to him when he first tried to get a look at them, legally, but he could use magic now. So late into the night, he broke in and found as many files on orphans that there were and from there began searching for any sign of the old gang.

All he needed to do was find one and after doing that, off he went. Unfortunately, as it turned out only one was all he could find and the kid, now a high school senior, barely remembered him. However, he did remember Kid and Solo would take whatever he could get.

That's when he ran into his first dead end: the Maxwell Church Massacre. There were no clues to be found, no trace of Kid anywhere. The only thing he did find was a whorehouse built on top of the remains and he was too disgusted to stick around.

It was a couple months after the revolution that his search for his favorite brat was jumpstarted again. It had been by pure accident but he had come across a bunch of worn-out wanted posters, all of them thrown away and left to rot in a random ally. It was a picture on one particular poster that caught his eye and almost instantly he recognized Kid.

Being held by two soldiers and not looking well at all, he had to stifle his anger at it and try and pick up any information from the poster that he could. A little reading and a break-in later, he had all the information he needed to learn what had become of his Kid.

A Gundam pilot. His Kid, the snot nosed brat who disobeyed him at every turn, who stuck to his side like cheap glue, and would get on his nerves at every opportunity had grown up to be a fucking Gundam pilot.

Wow.

From there, it took a bit more searching and a first class ticket to Earth (like hell he wasn't going to ride in luxury), he was on the blue ball of dirt and on his way to the last place he had heard of Kid being. Other than berating himself on not picking up some wheels, something he would do very soon, there was only one thought on his mind.

What had they been smoking by calling a place the Sanc Kingdom?


	4. Another Day at the Office

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay but life happened and my computer got infected with a virus. This chapter was supposed to be posted Wednesday but what can I say, shit happens. Thanks for being patient and not demanding either KO's or my heads though by looking at the number of e-mails in my inbox, I'd wish you have. Would've been able to judge how much you guys were enjoying the story.

All right people, let's play a little game. At which parts is it my writing and where is it Kibin Okami's? If you can't tell, then we're doing our jobs. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language, violence

Another Day at the Office

The Sanc Kingdom, bastion of Pacifism and the current home for the Earth Sphere Untied Nations for the time being. There were plans to move the representative of the Earth and Colonial government to a different location but for now it would remain in the magnificent city that had once been a warzone.

Now, however, there was no war, no violence. Just peace and—

"Get out of the way!" a very angry man roared through his windshield as he ran and swerved through a red light, causing the intersecting traffic to back and pile up. Practically driving on the sidewalk, the angry man fled from another car that was doggedly pursing it from behind, ignoring all the mayhem that passed by it and causing more along the way.

"You can run but you can't hide," a very determined Duo Maxwell muttered to himself as he jerked his stol—er, _borrowed_ vehicle to a side, sideswiping an innocently parked car that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It was tough trying to drive through traffic and chase after a fleeing suspect, a wanted man that had been caught redhanded trafficking illegal weapons by a Preventers' operation. What should have been a in and out apprehension and arrest turned into a bloody gunfight and now a high chase pursuit, something that Duo hadn't planned on doing today.

Hell, the asshole he was chasing shouldn't have been able to escape the scene of his crime as he had and it had been pure luck that Duo had noticed the ditch. Not in the mood to be tracking down this guy, _again_, and waiting for him to commit some more crimes that endangered the first year of peace since the Mariemaia Incident, the impulsive braided Preventer had taken it upon himself to chase the suspect down and make sure he didn't get away.

William Bryce was not going to get a second chance, not this time.

Bryce made an illegal left hand turn up ahead, nearly causing another pile up, and Duo spun the steering wheel as hard as he could, barely making the turn but smashing his trunk up against the front of a stalled car.

Man, why'd it have to be the middle of the day and most people's lunch break for this to happen? So many people were out and about and _in his way_ that it was making a hard task even more difficult. He could hear the voices of his fellow Preventers shouting out at him from the walkie-talkie at his side but like most things, he ignored this.

Aw Goddamn it! He missed a turn! Bryce had made an unexpected left turn again but Duo wasn't able to take the turn this time. Fortunately, Bryce made a right up ahead, making him return to the previous direction he was heading. Eyeing a car dealership up ahead, Duo thought only about it for a second before pulling into the wrong lane and entering the dealership parking lot.

He ignored the blares of car horns honking at him, honking his own horn in turn at the morons who were standing in his way. They all dodged to a side when it became obvious that he wasn't going to stop and after sideswiping another car, he was heading towards the dealership building itself. He had been to this ripoff place before and knew that the outer walls were made of glass and that it was practically empty on the inside.

It was no surprise then that he crashed through the oversized windows and drove through the building, crashing through the windows on the opposite side. Pedal to the metal, the engine of his car roared as he thundered forth, crashing through the large hedges at the back of the lot and getting right back onto Bryce's tail once again.

"Got you, ya prick," Duo smirked as he slammed down on the accelerator, ramming the front of his car into Bryce's back.

The white headed Bryce jolted forward and he spun around in his seat to glare at his pursuer. Were these Preventers getting crazier? They had never gone to such lengths to capture him before and he was not going to be caught today. He could only step on the accelerator and try and pull away.

"Oh, you want to play, huh?" Duo said to himself with a grin. "Let's play."

Once again he sped up and slammed into the back of Bryce's car, the front of his hood starting to show signs of crumpling. Honking his horn, he pulled to a side and sped up again, slowing pulling up to Bryce's side.

Bryce had noticed his advance and had pulled out a gun, proceeding to shoot at him with lethal intent. Duo took his foot off the accelerator and pulled back to avoid the bullets. Growling, he pulled out his own gun but aimed for Bryce's rear tires, hoping to put an end to this quickly. It took a couple shots but one tire was shot flat and Bryce nearly lost control, swerving from side to side like a drunk driver.

Duo swore and pulled back more but not before getting his left headlight smashed first. Despite driving like a maniac, Bryce had managed to get enough control to take a right, smashing into the side of a car broadside but still moving, the rubber of his flat tire beginning to peel and shred.

Duo had a less destructive turn and was hard on Bryce's tail. Shooting his window out, he stuck his gun out and fired at Bryce, shattering the rear window of Bryce's car but missing his target.

Then again, he wasn't trying to kill the guy on purpose…

…yet.

It was only then that the two realized they were heading for a dead end. With buildings to their sides and straight ahead and his pursuer right behind him, Bryce had to get inventive on how he was going to get out of here. Then he spotted an entrance to the subway and knew he had one last chance to get out of this.

Unfortunately, he was going too fast toward the entrance to stop by it and couldn't slow down without risking injury, and then there were the concrete blockers that sprouted from the sidewalk, placed there to prevent automobiles from driving down into the subway. It took a little skill and a lot of effort but he managed to turn his car so that he was skidding towards the entrance, the side of his car ramming into the blockers.

Eyes bulging, Duo slammed on the brakes and spun the wheel, his vehicle running into Bryce's broadside to broadside. Lucky he was wearing a seatbelt or else…eh, he didn't want to think on that.

With blood trickling down from a scrape on his forehead, he noticed Bryce break out from his car and start stumbling down into the subway. Aw hell no. Shoving the driver side door open, Duo unsteadily hurried after his quarry, taking his walkie-talkie from his side and shouting into it.

"I got the bastard heading into the subway, South St. Michael's entrance. Get your ass to all stops and get ready. I don't know which one he's heading for."

_Maxwell! What the hell do you think you're—_

That sounded a lot like Wufei but he couldn't be too sure. At that point, he was running down the steps into the station, his signal cutting off and dying. Up ahead, he saw Bryce spin around with his firearm ready and Duo threw himself to a side, barely avoiding the shots fired at him. Well, maybe barely was a bit too close. If anything, the end of his one vanity, his braid, got singed by one of the bullets and that was a big no-no in Duo's book. Seeing the end of the long, braided tassel and comical hole that was in the end of it turned the braided one's vision red.

Bryce was a dead man.

Snapping his gun out and ignoring the screams of the nearby bystanders, he began unloading on the fleeing criminal, scrambling to his feet and nearly jumping down the stairs after him. Ducking behind the nearest bench as Bryce returned fire, Duo changed his clip and when Bruce stopped shooting he sprang up and fired back.

Clipping the slightly taller man in the arm, Bryce swore as he whipped around and heading towards the escalators. Jumping over the bench he had used for cover, Duo ran after him, reaching the moving incline just as Bryce reached the bottom and vanished from sight.

"Bastard," he swore, running down the steps. Reaching the bottom, he saw Bryce get onto the nearest train just as the doors shut behind him. "Fuck!"

Picking up speed, Duo reached the last car of the train and fired into one of the windows, leaping through the opening and rolling over the glass that now littered the floor. Getting to his feet, he sprinted towards the front as the train departed, entering into the dark tunnel ahead.

He sped through compartment after compartment, making his way closer and closer to Bryce. As he approached the front of the second to first train car, Bryce took notice of him and spun around, firing a round straight at him. Swearing, Duo threw himself to a side, just out of sight and wince each time bullets ricocheted, passengers screaming in fright.

Bringing a finger up to his lips, he signaled for those in the compartment to keep quiet and not give him away. He heard the hard thumps that Bryce made with each step he took and when he slid open the door that blocked him from entering, Duo struck, swinging out his gun and nailing Bryce in the forehead with the butt of the weapon.

Unfortunately, Bryce recovered much quicker than Duo had anticipated and had grabbed him by his arm. Pulling him into view, Bryce nailed him with a wound up punch that caused him to fall onto his back. Moving quickly, he rolled back onto his feet and proceeded to tackle his enemy just as the man was aiming his pistol at him. Falling into the first car, Duo straddled Bryce's stomach and hit the man's gun away, the weapon sliding under a seat, and began repeatedly punching him in the face.

Bryce threw him over and off him and rolled onto his front before pushing himself back up, blood streaming from his nose. By then, Duo was also back on his feet and was twisting around to aim his gun at the criminal only to get it knocked out of his hand as Bryce rammed him with his shoulder. Duo's back slammed into one of the many pipes that stuck up from the floor and connected with the ceiling, his head ringing against the metal. He ducked under an incoming punch and he landed his own into Bryce's gut.

Bryce's elbow came down harshly and nailed him in the back of the head, causing the braided one to see stars for a moment and pain to whiplash through his neck. Grabbing him by his shoulders, Bryce swung Duo into another pole and then brought his knee into Duo's chin. Swinging another punch, Duo caught it and slammed the limb into the pole, breaking the arm and kicking a foot up into Bryce's groin.

Water leaked from Bryce's eyes, but didn't give him the time to wallow in pain as he grabbed the older man's head and head-butted him. Of course, then Duo found out that that may have not been the best thing to do as he was hit with a wave of disorientation, his brain rattling around in his head.

Then he felt a foot in his gut followed by a fist hitting him in the right cheek, causing him to stumble away until he completed the fall to the floor, stopping next to the conductor's booth which was conspicuously empty. Rubbing his head, he glanced up to see Bryce making his way to one of the guns; there was no way Duo could reach him in time without getting shot.

Snapping his head towards the conductor's booth, he spied the emergency brake lever and an idea popped into his head. Without pausing another second to consider what he was about to do, he grabbed the lever and pulled it down harshly.

The sudden stop threw Bryce backward, or forward depending on how you looked at it, the man flying in the air to come to a sudden stop against the emergency front door, his head slamming into the glass and leaving a spider web of cracks behind as he slid to the floor unconscious.

"That's gotta hurt," Duo muttered to himself, eyeing the unconscious criminal.

---

As it turned out, they had gone through a couple stops before Duo had put on the brakes. After a few trial and error attempts, he finally had the long hunk of metal pull in to the next stop, the station teeming with Preventers who had figured he would turn up here when the train hadn't continued on its thundering track.

Opening the doors and allowing the scared shitless citizens to evacuate into Preventers custody, he dragged Bryce by his the back of his turtleneck behind him like a sack of potatoes, exiting the train and swaggering towards the nearest agents to drop off his prize. Of course, things were just about to get interesting…

"Maxwell!" a very irate Chinaman bellowed, stomping his way towards the braided one.

"Uh oh," Duo muttered. "Alpha male at ten o'clock."

"That has to have been the most reckless, as well as the most unprofessional stunt, I have seen you pull since you joined Preventers day one yet." At this point it seemed as though the vein in Wufei's forehead would explode as his blood pressure skyrocketed to proportions that would worry most people. Unfortunately, to Duo who had known Wufei for quite a long time now, he found this as not that big of a deal as he just groaned and turned to face his comrade already prepared for the oncoming rant of the century.

As Wufei continued for quite some time, Duo continuously checking his watch, as he awaited the end of this tirade and listening with half an ear as Wufei accounted the damage that was caused by Duo's "reckless nature" as Wufei put it so diligently. He also made quite the scene as he went over all the possible ways that Duo could have failed the mission and might have endangered the lives of the subway passengers as well as his own.

When it seemed as though the color in Wufei's face was back to an almost normal shade, Duo squared off with his fellow Preventer and gave him a big shit-eating grin. "Feel better now Wuffers?" After this Wufei's left eye twitched at the use of the braided one's favorite nickname for him. "Didn't know you cared that much. I feel ten times better now, thanks man."

"Did you hear anything I just said?" Wufei heaved a groan as he glared at his long-time comrade and friend. Duo just grinned back and repeated back everything he said and even went as far as to justify each point made and, as always, left Wufei no choice but to agree that there was no other option. "You're still as insane and reckless as ever."

Duo just chuckled and replied in kind. "If I remember correctly, it was you who got me to join Preventers in the first place buddy." He had a point there. After a long break of calming his nerves with deep breaths, a mantra in his head saying "calm down, breath, don't shoot him," he began to relax. Of course he wouldn't have shot to kill, just a shot to the kneecap perhaps to keep Duo from causing more trouble and anxiety to his already frayed nerves.

Finally after a long wait where Duo tried to decide whether he should reconsider taunting Wufei or maybe give him a few more verbal poking of the stick to the already aggravated Chinese man, Wufei gave a small smirk as he gave his own version of an evil look. "Let's just hope Une doesn't tear your head off when we get back to headquarters."

At this Duo jerked as though stung and gave a small whimper as he thought about that. "Damn it! Now why'd you have to go for a low blow like that?" It wasn't stated as a question but more of a statement of complaint, maybe even a whine.

"I only aim to please o' insane nutcase." The evil smile Wufei sported didn't fade one bit and it gave the braided one the feeling that the guy was not a bit sympathetic to his plight.

This time Duo's eye twitched as he muttered. "Killjoy."

---

While Wufei had remained at the subway station to make sure that the perimeter remained secure, Duo went back to headquarters. Due to Wufei's insistence, it wasn't him who would be driving but another agent. Looks like they wanted to be sure that no more property damage was made on the way back.

Passing by the car dealership, Duo was not the least bit repentant; he had been wanting to get back at those fuckers for selling him a piece of shit car that looked new but fell apart after one week. He just hadn't gotten around to doing it though and this had been completely coincidence.

Honest.

So as he emerged from his motorized escort and into the Preventers' garage, he was greeted by a few mechanics that had heard about his…er, exploits by now. It didn't help that the news was showing footage of his chase on the small TV in the break room and he had the humility to scratch the back of his head sheepishly. Okay, so maybe he went a _little_ overboard today.

Usually, agents like him would report to some sort of desk on one of the upper levels or into a private office and fill out a report, bureaucracy at work and all, but no one told Duo Maxwell what he could and could not do. Well, almost, but that was a story for another time. He had his own private space reserved close to the garage and when he wasn't filing out damage reports, he was there with the other mechanics fixing stuff or doing some engineering shit.

He liked doing nitty-gritty stuff, so sue him.

Entering into his "private office," he slung his gun holster onto his desk and carelessly tossed his safetied gun onto it. Falling back into a comfy, rotating chair that Quatre had been so kind to buy him a couple months ago, he spun on it for a full rotation before stopping to stare at a hanging mirror that he had put up.

Most would say that he was narcissistic from the way he would be caught staring into it several times a day. Truth was, he wasn't that vain. Sure, he knew he was good-looking and sex-on-legs, no need to remind him of that, but there was a different reason for that mirror.

The reason why he stared into several times a day was so he could see himself. Confusing, right? The 'himself' you are thinking of is not the self that he is looking at. The self that he desperately sought was not of the fun-loving, damage causing, trouble prone joker that many thought of him as but a self that was more simpler, more basic.

Sometimes he could swear that he could see himself, who he really was, but he had been this joke for so long that he had begun to forget himself in it. There were times where he wished he could be himself, not that he wasn't a fun-loving, adrenaline junky (that he was) but that—

"Looking at yourself again?" a deep baritone spoke from the doorway, a faint hint of teasing in it that shouldn't have been there in the first place.

Slipping on a cheeky grin, he spun his chair so that he faced his most recent visitor. "Be still my heart!" he exclaimed melodramatically. "Since when did you get back in Heero?"

"Not long," Heero replied, not moving from his spot in the doorway, his shoulder leaning against it quite casually. Duo found himself get lost as the Japanese man's blue eyes stared into him and it was only after the other had finished speaking that Duo realized that he had blanked out.

"You mind repeating that?" he asked, embarrassed. "I didn't quite get that."

The corner of Heero's lips quirked upwards. "You know you should pay more attention. What if you happened to be on a mission?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Duo grumbled as he pushed himself back into his chair, folding his arms childishly. "'I might get myself killed' and all that shit. Now can you repeat yourself?"

"I said that I had gotten back," Heero said, still not moving. "I also said that I've been hearing stuff about a car chase. Anything you'd like to confess to?"

Duo flushed. "The guy was getting away," he mumbled. "Not my fault he decided to go through downtown Sanc. We've been after this guy since Mariemaia and I didn't feel like letting him get away this time. If we can't get him on weapons trafficking, we can at least get him on kidnapping or some shit like that."

"A lot of people could have gotten hurt," Heero stated. "This isn't like those movies you like to watch."

"It should," Duo grumbled.

"It isn't," Heero said. "You need to be more careful."

"I know, I know, you're worse than my parents," Duo interrupted, waving the matter aside.

"But…" Heero trailed off, looking a bit uncomfortable for some reason, "I would've done the same had it been me and not you."

Duo smirked. "Coming over to the Dark Side, eh?"

"The Dark Side?" Heero blinked, not understanding the reference. Duo had the sudden urge to smack his forehead.

"You really need to get out more," he said wryly. "If you can't get a Star Wars reference, you ain't been living."

"What?" Heero asked.

"Excuse me, you haven't been living," Duo corrected himself, cursing himself for falling back into old street speech for a second. He didn't want to make a bad impression on one of his closest friends here and nothing could do that any better than admitting that you grew up on the streets eating from a garbage can.

For some reason, people always lost their respect for you once they learn about that.

Feeling that things had gotten awkward and as was his current nature, he spoke, "Wanna sit down? No sense standing there, and all."

"Sure," Heero shrugged as he pushed himself out of the doorway and took a seat, not putting his feet on Duo's desk as the braided one had so often done to his whenever he came up to visit.

"Not gonna get comfy?" Duo inquired as he leaned further back and propped his feet on his desk.

"I'm good, thank you," Heero said stiffly, his eyes not leaving Duo's booted feet.

Duo raised an eyebrow. It was clear that this guy had no concept of how to hold a conversation. It was times like these where he felt sorry for him; what had he gone through to become a Gundam pilot in the first place? He didn't want to image what J had done to him to get him to be so…socially retarded? No, that wasn't a nice thing to say…

Still, that was where he came in, right? He was the one that talked a lot, didn't he? This should be no problem whatsoever. Yeah…eh…what should he talk about again? Hmm, that was a tough one. Ah well, guess he'll have to pull something out of his ass like always.

"What's the word on the Pink front?" he asked conversationally. If there was one subject that always works…

Heero rolled his eyes at that. "Wanted to see me as soon as I got back. I didn't go, obviously."

"My, my, my, guess who's pulling a me," Duo chuckled as he cupped his hands behind his head.

"Guess you're growing on me," Heero said, an uneasy chuckle in his voice as if he was unsure of what he was saying.

"I'll bet," Duo agreed, purposely ignoring that uneasiness. When it came to being sociable, Heero wasn't the expert he was in everything else. Lack of confidence and whatnot. "You wouldn't be the first either. I had Quatre talking like me during the month we spent together during the war."

"Really," Heero said, not looking pleased at that statement for some reason.

Fortunately for Duo, he was good at picking up those subtle clues and inflections in other people's voices. Unfortunately for him, however, he was unable to say or do something about it as a light knock at his door caught both of their attentions and focused them straight at another member of the small and exclusive club that was the Gundam pilots.

Goddamn it, Trowa really knew how to break a moment, didn't he? Or at least interrupt it.

"Sorry about this, but Une wants to see you," Trowa spoke, his quiet voice loud yet soft. As Heero began to stand up, Trowa added, "Not you Heero. Duo."

Don't ask for whom the bell tolls indeed…

"And I thought I was the one who led people to their deaths," he muttered.


	5. Men's Vehicles

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language, violence, death

Men's Vehicles

His Kawasaki 250 Ninja, a beautiful piece of black and sleek machinery, was his prized possession and more valued than even the slutty girls that he picked up with it. Yep, when you had money like Ernest Velming, a handsome yet snotty socialite, you just had to flaunt it with the classiest stuff you could buy then showboat in front of the "have-nots."

Plus, he just loved flaunting it in front of those grumpy biker drunks. It was safe because it was an unspoken rule that you **don't fuck with another man's bike** and he had enough money to get a good lawyer to sue whoever decided to get physical with him.

Thus people just let him do what he liked doing and no one dared raise a finger to stop him either.

So, you could say that he was completely shocked to find his bike missing after coming out from having a drink with the "boys" only to see it a second later as it was being driven off by the thief himself, a blond ponytail fluttering as the wind ripped around it.

Of course, it was then that he had realized that, because of his ignorance, that he had left the key in the ignition…

Fuck!

---

It was no secret that Une ran a tight ship; when she wanted something done, it would be done. End of story. That was partly the reason why she was in charge of the closest thing the world had to a military force whose main purpose was to preserve and up keep the peace that so many had sacrificed for.

Yet, she was always a type of person who liked to keep things low key, keep this militaristic version of a police force off of people's radar so that everybody could live their lives unawares of all the troubles that still plagued this world. So it didn't help that one of her more impulsive operatives was filmed live in the middle of a high speed chase with a wanted felon and that a lot of people were exposed to it.

She had been getting calls from the brass ever since and her answer was always the same to them: she was handling it, don't worry, everything is under control, etc…

This time, she really was going to have to do something, whether she liked it or not. Contrary to popular belief, she wasn't the terrifying fire dragon that many regarded her as. In fact, to be truthfully honest, her favorite subordinate happened to be the very person who had participated in the televised chase earlier today.

That made what was to transpire so much harder but she was made of stern stuff and knew how to separate business from her personal life.

The same couldn't be said for the individual whose fortune led him to be in her office today.

"Good afternoon, Duo," she greeted calmly. "Please, take a seat."

Apparently, not starting off with fiery anger had a confusing effect on the braided menace whom she had called on; it was as if he had been expecting something else entirely.

"You rang?" he asked, slightly hesitant as he cautiously sat down.

"Indeed," she answered as she glanced back down at her desk where quite a few documents laid. "You probably already know why I've called on you today, so how about we get to the point?"

"Okay," Duo gulped, almost shrinking further into his seat.

Looking him dead in the eyes, capturing him with a single look, she began. "You went over the line today, Agent Maxwell. Your reckless behavior has caused quite a bit of damaged and endangered many civilian lives in the process."

"Hey, at least I caught the guy," Duo defended, though his voice wasn't as loud as it usually was.

"That is beside the point," she overrode, not willing to let him railroad the chastise. "The Preventers wasn't established to put people's lives at risk. It was created to protect them from those who wish to break up the peace that you yourself fought to bring about. We aren't some police force that bust down doors and blows up anything we touch."

"You could have fooled me," Duo muttered under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," he said innocently, something that the Director believed to be one of this agent's lacking traits.

"Do you know what these are?" she asked him as she held up one of the documents on her desk. Not waiting for a reply, she continued, "What I have in my hand is a fax from Secretary of Defense Affairs. The sum of it is for the termination of the agent who was broadcasted live on the network news to both the Earthsphere and Outer Space and for criminal charges to be brought up. Do you know what this means?"

"That the Secretary isn't really serious about upholding the peace that I fought for?" Duo suggested. "That he wants fu—I mean, people like Bryce running about doing worse things than what was on the tube?"

As much as she agreed with him there, that wasn't precisely what she was trying to convey to him. "What it means is that what the brass wants me to do is fire you and charge you with endangering the public. Do you know what could happen if it came out that a former Gundam pilot is being brought up on charges, none of which are involved in the past wars you fought in? Resources needed to go after the real dangerous people will be diverted to holding you."

Duo swallowed. "Would it help to say that I'm sorry?" he asked meekly.

"I don't think sorry is going to get you out of this one this time," she sighed. "Besides, both you and I know that you're not really sorry. You enjoyed every moment of that chase."

"Eh heh, you got me there," he admitted, scratching the back of his head boyishly. "So what's going to happen?" he asked, dropping the false cheery pretense.

"Despite what the higher ups want, I am not going to fire you," she told him frankly. "Because of your previous training, you and the other pilots are my best agents and it would be a damn waste to do something like that."

"That's good, right?" he asked, his hopes rising.

"Yes and no," she told him. "It's good that you still have a job but it's bad that I happen to agree with at least one point the higher ups want. You need to have some sort of punishment so as to prevent further incidences like this from happening."

"So what are you going to do?" he asked, his voice small.

"Suspension," she stated. "No pay."

"What?!" he bellowed, standing up and actually sounding angry.

"You heard me," she said, not willing to budge on the issue.

"Hey, I caught that asshole myself!" Duo shouted, furious. "The least you could do is put me on paid vacation! I'm not going on suspension for this shit, thank you very much!"

She raised an eyebrow. "You mean you're agreeing with me that you need to be punished?"

That gave Duo pause. He tried to refute her but didn't get anywhere with his attempts at bluster before plopping back into his seat and crossing his arms childishly. "I ain't doin' anything for free," he growled, "even if it means I have ta leave for awhile."

It was at times like these where she would begin to wonder where exactly he came from. The inflections in his voice as well as how his speech degenerated for a bit was very peculiar, however that was not important right now.

"Very well," she said diplomatically. "Paid leave."

"Fine," he pouted, his bottom lip peeking out.

She allowed a small smile to grace her lips, surprising him. "I'm not as happy with this as you think I am," she said. "If you want my personal opinion, I think you did the right thing today."

He blinked at her, his surprise growing with every second.

"Next time, though," she added, "try and not cause too much destruction. Now get out of here. Gets some r 'n r."

"Okay…" he said, looking at her as if he didn't recognize her. She waited until he left before allowing herself to relax.

Perhaps she had said a bit too much? She didn't really hate him. If anything, she was quite fond of him. While there were various traits that she admired in the pilots, what she liked best about this specimen of a pilot was his liveliness. Everywhere he went, it was as if he brought life with him, brightening the dreary building, his voice ricocheting off walls and bringing chuckles from even the most stoic of normal people, Gundam pilots not included.

What could she say, he was infectious and grew on her.

She suddenly sat up, her senses telling her that she wasn't alone. She scanned her office from her seat, her hawkish eyes searching for whatever it could be that put her on alert. There was a chill in the air, one that caused a shiver to race up her spine. Then as suddenly as it came, the sensation that there was someone else in her office was gone as a knock sounded from the door.

"Eh, Lady?" Duo peeked in, looking unsure at her. "Sorry about this, but could you make sure that nothing important that comes into my mailbox isn't overlooked? I was expecting something to come in but since I'm not going to be here…"

"Of course," she spoke up, blindly agreeing.

"Yeah, thanks," he said sheepishly. "I owe ya."

"It's no trouble at all," she replied.

With a small wave, Duo was gone, that strange, unseen presence disappearing as well.

What had that been about? She had a feeling she had felt it before but she couldn't be too sure where. Memories of Barge and the Lunar Base kept popping up in her head but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

What could it possibly mean?

---

He hadn't gone straight back to the apartment that he called home, unless you call riding around Sanc in your newly bought, waxed, black Ford Mustang, vintage Before Colony 1965 going straight home. Yeah, this baby was his pride and joy, second only to his precious Deathscythe that he had self-destructed nearly a year ago.

Tracking down one of these babies, though, had been tough. Buying it had been a whole different matter. Some whiny car collector who kept shouting things about value and what was he doing on his property again and that he had thought he had gotten a restraining order. Pfft, as if the law had stopped him before!

So yeah, he had only had his claws on this baby for about…eh, he thought it was two weeks but it could've been three, he wasn't sure. It didn't matter to him that he was driving what some mechanics had called an archaic piece of machinery that was over a century old. It didn't matter what those assholes thought since he too was skilled in mechanics and repair and had access to the garage at the Preventers that was filled to the brim with other mechanics that could appreciate the beauty that was the 1965 Ford Mustang.

Wasn't he lucky?

It could also be said that he wasn't happy with Une's decision but of course he had to milk whatever he could get out of it. There was no way he was going to be taken off duty without getting _some_ compensation for chasing Bryce's ass down. Call him what you want, he knew all too clearly what it was like to be without money and he never wanted to go back to that again. So yeah, he might have been an ass and Une might have caved in a little too quickly but damn it, he had earned it!

That last part was debatable, not that you would hear him admit it.

The sun had long since set when he finally got around to making his way to his neighborhood. Thanks to little accounts filled with pilfered Alliance money that he had, he could have had a much more upscale pad than the one he was currently in. Luxury had never been a big thing for him, despite like soft, comfortable things, so the cozy little apartment that he had in his name was what he had to look forward to once he clocked out.

Finding no spot in front of his building, he had to make do with one on the other side of the street just down the road a bit. He didn't get out or turn off the ignition just yet, preferring to sit inside his precious baby and listen to it purr and rumble. Once feeling that he had wasted enough fuel for one day, he turned the key and instantly the engine shut off.

Still, he remained sitting in the driver's seat, just staring out ahead him, mind blank. Finally succumbing to his recent tendency, he pulled down the sun visor and stared into the small mirror, once again seeking out that hidden part of himself.

He had no idea how long he sat there, just staring into that mirror but he knew that the car's lights had turned off some time ago. Hell, this was pathetic. Here he was, still staring in a mirror but he couldn't see his Goddamn reflection. Ugh, how much lower could he get?

Picking up his discarded cell, he opened it up and wasn't surprised to find a few messages waiting for him. Ever since he had left HQ with hardly a word to the guys, his phone had been ringing periodically, mainly from Heero and Trowa and onetime Wufei, which was a surprise in and of itself, all of them trying to reach him. He had only glanced at the device but hadn't picked it up in favor of driving around town aimlessly.

Taking the opportunity, he listened to one message at random, one that happened to be Trowa inviting him to come have a drink with him, Heero, and Wufei. He didn't need a watch to know that that little meeting had come and gone an hour or so ago. A second message, this one from Heero, demanded to know where he was since they had come by his apartment only to not find him there. Call back immediately? Yeah right, who did he think he was talking to?

Deciding that he didn't want to listen to anymore, he shut the device and pulled the keys out of the ignition, making sure he still had his gun on him before getting out of the car. Hey, you could take his job, his badge, but you couldn't, no wouldn't, take his gun from him. License to kill and all. 007, eat your heart out.

With phone and keys in hand, he stepped out and onto the sidewalk, making sure he didn't bump his head on the way out of the car. Suddenly, his instincts were screaming at him to move and he threw himself out of the way just as _something_ shot right past him and slammed into the open car door, tearing it right off its hinges and flinging it away, metal scrapping against concrete harshly.

He could only stare, appalled, at what had just happened to his car, his baby… What evil son of a bitch could do something so barbaric?

Someone was going to die for this!

He whipped his head from side to side before his murderous gaze fell upon three transients that were standing just down the sidewalk. Most people would have looked somewhere else, blowing them off, but Duo knew better. There was something that wasn't right with these guys, specifically the way they were looking at _him_ and not anything else.

There was no doubt in his mind that these assholes were his latest target. The three of them looked grungy with their ragged clothes and oily hair as well as the expressions on their faces that displayed some sort of excitement.

Out of all of them, it was the one in the center that looked at least marginally clean despite his hair spiking in all directions as if he had just gotten out of bed. His silver colored eyes were sharp and watched him carefully, looking for the first sign of weakness that would allow him to tear his throat out.

Wait a minute, silver eyes? Was that even biologically possible?

"Do you know how long we've been waiting for you?" the spiky haired guy with the silver eyes suddenly called out. "We were starting to think you were going to be a no-show."

"Waiting for me, eh?" he commented as he stood up, hand holding his gun behind his back. "Bryce send you or something?"

"Don't know who that is," the guy answered with a shrug. "Not like it matters. Now, will you be a good boy and come with us? There's someone who is just dying to meet you."

Duo raised an eyebrow. "I don't think so."

The guy sighed dramatically. "The hard way, huh? Billy, take him out."

"Sure thin', Wolf," one of the guy's buddies guffawed and marched over to the ex-pilot. Duo let the moron get close and grab his shoulders roughly before kneeing him in the crotch.

As Billy fell to the cement sidewalk, clutching his family jewels, the so-called Wolf and his other buddy watched in shock. "Wow," Wolf commented. "Just, wow…"

Before Duo could say anything to that, the same roaring force that had torn the door off his car slammed into him from below and sent him flying up into the air. It took some effort to get over the shock of the unexpected attack and even more was required for him to twist his body around so that he landed on the ground with a heavy thump. He gritted his teeth as the stress reverberated through his bones and for a moment he worried if he had broken something.

That, however, was soon shoved from the forefront of his mind as someone grabbed him from behind, wrapping an arm around his neck and getting him into a sleeper hold. Choking, he tightened his grip on his gun and pressed it behind into his assailant's front, pulling the trigger and unleashing a blaring bang.

There was a cry of pain from behind him, one that was screamed into his ear, but he ignored the ringing sound in his eardrums in favor of flipping the guy behind him over his shoulder and firing another shot into the guy's chest.

He heard multiple sets of footsteps coming up from behind and he swore when he realized that Wolf had brought more than just Billy, the other guy still at his side, and the dead fuck lying on the sidewalk.

Well, it wasn't as if this was the first time he had been outnumbered.

He threw himself towards a nearby parked car and rolled over the hood to avoid the goons that rampaged towards him, putting something between him and them. Angry yells followed him but that was when normalcy ended and things started to get weird.

Burning orbs of light blasted at him from these goons' hands and it took everything he had to dodge them all, twisting his body and contorting into shapes that only Trowa could accomplish. The street beneath his feet began to buckle and explode, sending concrete and shrapnel that bit into his skin and clothes. That same roaring force from before blew chunks out of cars and even the buildings while the streetlights spat out bolts of electricity whenever he got too close to them.

He had noticed some time before that quite a few of those attackers were standing in one place, chanting some strange shit and shouting out strange words that almost sounded like Finnish. Of course, as soon as those chants were through, the freaky shit would start up again and since there were many of these guys doing the same thing that meant the freaky shit didn't let up on him for a second.

So that meant a lot of jumping, a lot of rolling, twisting out of the way, ducking, and of course, his favorite activity, running. He was so caught up in dodging that he had not paid attention to those few who dared to get in close and try to grab him. Billy was back, trying to make up for his past failure but Duo was in no mood to get those grubby hands on him. A simple elbow to the nose followed by a drop kick rectified that and the blustering idiot fell back onto his ass, clutching at his face.

But then someone had the gall to grab him by his braid and pull. Now he saw red as he twisted his waist and leveled a roundhouse kick into the soon-to-be-dead man's gut. As the goon held his stomach, he drew in close and delivered an uppercut into the guy's chin, breaking his jaw with the force of the blow.

Not missing a beat, he twirled out of the way as another goon tried to grab him from behind and he dealt with this latest attempt by pistol-whipping the guy in the back of the head. Dropping to his knees, he ducked under another barrage of those orbs of light that were thrown at him. Damn, he was starting to hate those things, whatever they were.

Suddenly, another force slammed into him but unlike the ones that had previously been shot at him, this force grabbed him and held on to him like hand. He found he couldn't move, no matter how hard he struggled and squirmed, ultimately having to settle with glaring down at a nonchalant Wolf.

"Thank you, Pinto," he commented lightly, speaking to the thus far silent goon who had remained at his side the entire time. "This was starting to get boring."

Duo intensified his glare as he watched Wolf stalk towards him, moving like a predator. Grinning wolfishly at him, Wolf said, "Make sure those binding spells are strong. We don't want our little friend here to be getting loose anytime soon."

What. The. Hell? Binding spells? What the fuck was this guy talking about? And more importantly, what was he smoking?

He felt the invisible force around him tighten exponentially and the ground fall away from his feet as he was levitated off the street. Taking a hold of the end of his braid, Wolf twiddled with it, much to Duo's annoyance. He made a mental note to make sure he skinned this bastard alive for that.

"Must take real dedication," Wolf spoke, not looking away from the end of the braid. "Who in their right mind would let their hair grow out this long?"

"Least I don't have a bird's nest on my head," the braided one retorted.

Wolf hmphed before saying, "Put a gag on him. He might just talk our ears off if we let him."

There was a chorus of laughs in response and Duo had the distinct desire to cut their tongues out. It wasn't like he wanted to hear them talk either!

Because of the laughter, none of them caught on to the sound of a motorcycle coming towards them until the vehicle itself came plowing into two goons who happened to be standing next to each other, knocking one away and running over the other without mercy. The helmeted rider, tinted visor covering his face, leapt off the moving bike, letting it continue to speed forward and straight into another goon who was trampled by it.

Wolf snapped his attention towards the unexpected interloper, anger for the first time contorting his face. "What the fuck?!"

Duo couldn't have agreed more on that statement, especially when this mysterious cyclist began forming golden orbs of light in his hands. Blasting one of the orbs forth, the ball of light slammed into the nearest goon, burning deep into him before setting him on fire, the guy screaming in agony as he was quickly reduced to dust.

Panic began to overtake the rest of the thuggish goons but it was Wolf's commanding presence that prevented them from abandoning their booty. It was almost surreal how Wolf unleashed an animalistic roar from his throat, the mysterious cyclist actually getting taken off guard by it.

"_Huuto_!" the silver eyed man bellowed as a shockwave from his mouth tore through the street, wrecking everything in its path. The cyclist leapt out of the way, shooting a couple more golden orbs at Wolf.

However, the orbs were ricocheted away by two of Wolf's flunkies who had shot their own orbs to intercept them. Duo wasn't sure what this guy looked like but he could guess from his body language that he was probably saying something like "shit" or "fuck."

"Pinto!" Wolf yelled out. "Bind him!"

Well, shit. He didn't know what binding was but if it was the same thing as that "binding spell," he was fucked.

His would-be rescuer, though, was making some odd gestures with his fingers and while Duo thought he was having some kind of seizure, he could hear Pinto, or whatever his name was, yell out the end of a chant before declaring, "_Sido_!" and quite loudly at that.

His rescuer jerked as if hit by something before he was suddenly engulfed in darkness, pure and simple. Before anything could be said, the darkness that had surrounded the guy lunged towards Pinto at an awesome speed and wrapped around the little guy, Pinto's screams crying out as he was devoured.

"Holy shit, a manipulator!" Wolf swore. Wolf looked at something behind Duo and then jumped to a side as the very spot he had been standing on was covered in shadows that literally tried to eat him.

The braided one's eyes widened to the size of saucers as he saw these dark shadow things that had by now abandoned Pinto's skeleton and had encircle him yet was doing absolutely nothing while hissing at his attackers. Like black flames, they guarded him, lashing out at anyone who dared to get close before Wolf called for a retreat.

He didn't like how those silver eyes glared into him but with a sudden light flashing around Wolf and his cronies, he was unable to see their escape. That was the least of his worries, though, since he was still in the midst of those dark shadows, the things keeping their distance and losing whatever menace they once had. It was fucking weird.

"Here, let me help ya down," he heard a muffled voice speak from behind him and he nearly shrieked at that, not that he would admit something like that. "You certainly know how ta attract trouble."

He narrowed his eyes. Who the hell did this guy think he was?

"Yeah, I'll get ya down," his rescuer continued to talk, as if he was some kind of hero. A bit funny, actually, since he did once know someone who talked like that. "Just let me…do this…and that…and…that!"

The descent back to earth was unexpected but he would have bet that he'd come out all right from the drop except his knight in shining armor or whatever the hell he was wearing caught him like he was some girl. Eww…

Before the guy could say anything, he was out of the guy's arms quicker than Heero pressed his self-destruct button. It was only now that his brain recognized that he still had a hold of his gun and it was second nature of him to whip it out in front of him, the barrel of the weapon aimed directly at the motorcyclist's chest.

"Hey, hey! Easy, easy," the helmeted guy cried out, holding his hands up in the universal gesture of surrender. "When d'you get paranoid?"

"Look, whoever you are, I've had a really, _really_ long day," Duo said, a tic forming in one of his eyes. "I don't know what the hell is going on and I have no idea who those assholes were but right now, I'm just going to go to my apartment, take a shower, and go straight to bed. Thank you for whatever you did but I'm just going to treat this like I had some bad sushi and that it was all a bad dream, okay?"

"And you're not gonna invite me up, Kid?" the guy asked.

That caused the braided one to freeze. However, that paralysis was only for a second as he was right back in the guy's face, holding him by the front of his jacket and his gun pointed in front of his covered face.

"What did you call me?" he growled.

"Kid," the guy shrugged. "That's your name."

"It hasn't been for nearly ten years," he answered quietly before tightening his grip. "Who the fuck are you and why shouldn't I put two in your fucking face?"

"Think I could take this thing off first?" the guy suggested, referring to his helmet.

Pushing him away, he nodded. "Alright, go ahead. But no funny business."

"Okay, okay, sheesh!" the guy muttered as he started to remove the headgear. "Still impatient, Kid."

He was about to respond to that except one little detail stopped him. As soon as the helmet came off and was pulled out of sight, Duo could only stare flabbergasted at the sight that met him, lowering his gun unconsciously. It…it was impossible! It had to be a trick, it had to be! There was no way…

The old crooked smirk that only one person could do twisted those awe inspiring lips. "What's da matter, Kid? Cat got your tongue?"

"But you're…you're…"

At that, Duo's brain refused to process any further as the sight of a still living Solo standing in front of him, not dead, overloaded everything. With his eyes rolling up into his head, he pitched forward, descending into unconsciousness.

---

He had to act quickly, no mean feat since he was caught completely off guard by the last thing he had ever expected from Kid. Looking down incredulously at his old friend and protégé, it took him a moment to process what had just happened.

Kid had fainted… He couldn't believe that the little hellion he had hand raised himself had fucking _fainted_!

"Why do I put up with you?" he grumbled, rolling his eyes.


	6. Frustrations and Reunions

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

Frustrations and Reunions

Red lights flashed against the concrete buildings, lighting up the dark night for the Preventer agents that scurried to and fro about the scene of calamity. It was as if they were still in a state of war except the destruction was on a much smaller scale. Many couldn't believe what they were seeing from the broken up street and wrecked cars to the four dead bodies that littered the ground.

What was more unbelievable, though, was the fact that no one had heard anything. Not even a damn peep was reported from any of the residences who were in as much shock as the Preventers were.

In the midst of this stood Trowa Barton, one of the first on the scene once the call had been put in by a resident who had been taking out their trash. The body with bullets in it was perhaps the most normal part of the scene, only followed by the body that had a strip resembling a tire track on it. The other two, however, were the ones that took him out of his comfort zone. One had a gaping hole in its chest that had obviously been burned but that was topped by the skeleton, which had the look that it had been, pardon the wording, shitted out after being digested.

The only other thing that made any sense was that Duo was somehow involved since his car was parked nearby with one of its doors torn off. He of all people knew how much the braided ex-pilot valued the vehicle and seeing as how the bullet riddled body was close to it, the facts just fell into place there. And then there was the fact that Duo was physically nowhere in the vicinity, not even in his apartment which had been found trashed earlier.

That last bit would explain why Wufei and Heero were here. Whatever had gone on here involved Duo without a doubt and it was an unspoken rule among the Gundam pilots that what affected one pilot affected all pilots. He had sent in the call to Quatre but hadn't been able to reach the Sandrock pilot just yet so for now it was up to him and Wufei to control a…frantic Heero.

For some reason or another, Heero was everywhere, demanding information on everything, i.e. intimidating anyone who was unlucky enough to get in his way. Now, he was concerned about his friend like anybody else would but even he had to admit that Heero was going a bit overboard.

He was reminded once of a tiger that had gone berserk back when he had been using a circus as a cover during the wars. The way the stripped feline had been snarling and pacing in his cage was nearly identical to the way that Heero was tromping around the crime scene, heedless of the unnaturally made trench in the middle of it and snapping at the closest Preventer, demanding answers. It was truly unfortunate that no one here had those answers…

"I give up!" Wufei exclaimed as he stopped next to the unibanged man. "He's just unstoppable!"

Trowa raised an eyebrow. "You just now found that out?"

"Now's not the time, Barton," the Chinaman growled.

At this, Trowa just gave him a look that signaled he was listening. Wufei blew out a breath trying to relax his nerves as he watched one of his friends pace back and forth, trying to find answers that everyone knew were not going to just jump out and show themselves.

"Maxwell's apartment is trashed; it literally looks like a tornado went through it and there are absolutely no clues as to who could have done this. All we have to go on is the wrecked car and even that's not much." Wufei was literally about to tear his hair out in frustration at this point.

"What about this tire track?" Wufei almost jumped out of his skin as he spun around to look at Heero as he started towards them. Trowa had already noticed him having been facing the general direction he was coming from, only waiting to see Wufei's reaction. He wasn't disappointed. His new sense of humor was only one of his new quirks picked up by being around Duo for so long.

Heero was walking along side a single skid mark that seemed to be from a motorcycle. From the looks of it the rider had been in an awful rush. At the end of his inspection Heero looked at the both of them with his all intense stare. "I got a tip that there was a stolen motorcycle in this vicinity."

Wufei was the first to catch onto Heero's idea. "So what you're saying is that we can use that bike as a possible lead." At this Heero gave an affirmative. "Right now I'm willing to take any lead we can get."

"Then we'll have forensics take a look at this and try and determine the make and model," Trowa stated. "We'll compare it with the vehicle stolen earlier and see if it's a match."

"Hn," Heero grunted, not taking his eyes off the track for a second. Both Wufei and Trowa spared each other a glance.

A ringing suddenly blared out into the silence, each pilot experiencing the knee jerk reaction to check their phones. In the end it was Trowa's and when he took in the caller I.D., he groaned aloud.

"Sorry guys, Hannah's calling," he said, not opening the cell just yet. "I wasn't suppose to work late tonight—"

"We understand," Wufei interrupted, giving his unibanged coworker a rueful smile. "Go on home and take care of that woman you call your fiancé. Yuy and I will handle things here."

Mouthing a thank you to the Chinese man, Trowa answered his call and walked away from the scene, all the while trying to explain his tardiness. Women, Wufei sighed, can't live with them, can't kill them.

Turning back to Heero and frowning when it looked as if the Japanese youth hadn't moved a muscle, he pinched the bridge of his nose and uttered a sigh. It was going to be a long night…

---

The return to consciousness was sudden yet Duo had enough control over his body not to give away any signs of it. He kept his breathing controlled and calm and he used all the sense he was able to use at the moment to figure out what was going on around him. It was an old practice that had saved his life on more than one occasion, a process that he had developed back when he was nothing more than a streetrat and perfected while training to become a pilot.

The first thing that struck him was that it was utterly quiet, hardly any noise around him. That was odd in and of itself but he chose not to dwell on it as he focused on his other senses, primarily touch. He felt himself on something firm yet not at all hard. A cot, perhaps? A mat? Was that what he was laying on?

Didn't seem like he was restrained since he felt nothing on him so he cracked open his eyes slightly, closing them tightly when a shaft of dim light blinded them. It was a struggle not to groan and reveal his status to anybody who might be nearby, watching him, and he still hadn't a clue where the hell he was.

Hell, the cleanliness of the air wasn't giving him anything. Whoever had brought him could not have picked a better spot to place him. With so few clues, he was going to have to open his eyes but if he did that, he would have to face that dim light again, a daunting task since his eyes were still too sensitive.

Still, it beat remaining ignorant…

A soft chuckle overhead only served to reinforce that. He wasn't as alone as he had hoped he was and he could only pray that whoever was watching him hadn't noticed that he wasn't as unconscious as he looked. A hand gently swept the bangs on his forehead away, fingertips barely scraping against his skin followed soon by a voice that had obviously softened itself, speaking down to him as if he was something fragile.

"Time ta wake up, Kid," the voice said, sending shivers down his spine. "You've been out of it too long…"

A sudden warm heat pressed against his forehead and Duo found that his eyes were snapping open of their own violation, his control over them being completely overridden. Light burst into his pupils and this time he couldn't hold back the groan as he snapped his eyelids shut and put his hand over them to try and protect them. The chuckle returned but this time it rankled in the braided one's keister.

Perhaps it was time he gave whoever this was a piece of his mind…

Making sure that when he opened his eyes again he wouldn't be blinded, he allowed them to adjust before slowly moving his hand away but he did have the time to change his facial features into a frown as the sight that confronted him reduced his mind to nothing.

A longhaired blond hovered over him, a trademark crooked grin that only one person he had ever met wore on his lips, and intense green eyes stared down into his own. The person was pale, the type of paleness that a person from the Colonies naturally had yet from what Duo could see, this person radiated _confidence_, even when he wasn't moving a muscle.

Then the guy spoke again and Duo felt the earlier shiver turn into a chill that ran up and down his spine in a frenzied panic.

"'Bout time ya came around," the blond said, an all-too-familiar drawl and accent coloring his voice. "You were always testin' my patience so why should now be any different, eh?"

Once again, his mind overloaded and he slipped back into unconsciousness again. Not a second later, he was pulled roughly out of it, the warmth from earlier back on his forehead and this time when he opened his eyes, the blond had a slight scowl on his face.

"Do ya always have ta make things harder than they are?" the blond demanded. "You haven't changed a fuckin' bit since I last saw ya, ya brat."

Duo's eyes flashed malevolently. "Don't call me a brat!" he bellowed, sitting straight up. That turned out to be a bad thing as his head collided with the blond's head harshly and both fell back clutching their aching noggins.

Damn he must be getting soft. He used to be able to do headbutts all day but now an accidental one was pulling the wind from his sails? Guess he needed to get back into shape or something.

"God, you're _still_ a pain in the ass?" the blond exclaimed. "Fuck me!"

Taking in the blond, Duo's mind threatened to overload a third time but this time he stubbornly managed to not faint again. This wasn't a hallucination since he briefly recalled his first attempt at regaining consciousness so there had to be some sort of reality to it all.

But still, if seeing was believing, then Duo was beginning to think that perhaps he needed to reserve a padded room for himself.

"Fuck you? Fuck me!" he shouted. "What the hell are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

Still rubbing his forehead, the blond said in answer, "I can't be dead if I'm still alive! Do you do this to everybody who saves your ass Kid? I think the first time I saved your ass you was a bit more grateful and didn't hit me."

"I oughta hit you more!" Duo shot back. "You fuckin' _died_ on me, you asshole! And dead people don't come back to life!" Duo's face took on a thoughtful look as a thought entered his head and look of worry suddenly replaced it. "…you're not one of those brain-eating zombies, are you Solo?" he asked, his voice nearly a whisper.

Blinking stupidly at that, the now named Solo snorted. "Even if I was one, I wouldn't eat yours. Too much work for something not even there in da first place!"

Duo blinked and slowly started to frown. "Hey…"

One moment the braided one had been on the bed in which he had been laid on, the next he was tackling his old mentor onto the floor. Instead of resembling the young adults that they were, they looked more like two little boys as the thumped down onto the floor gracelessly and wrestled, each trying to dominate the other and running into anything and everything that happened to be in their path.

There were grunts of exertions, thuds against the bed and furniture, cries of rage, and of course the limitless vocabulary of the foulest tasting words you've ever heard. Neither could hold dominance for long, at least not long enough to pin the other down. As soon as one got on top, the one on bottom managed to roll them to a side and make a claim. Yet throughout it all, there was not a hint of malice in either of the two's eyes; it was as if they really were nothing more than children trapped inside adults bodies and had only now managed to get loose from the years worth of restraints placed on them.

It hadn't even occurred to Duo what his fellow ex-pilots would say if they came upon this sight but they happened to be the furthest thing from his mind as he swore and scratched at Solo's arm, getting a knee between the other's legs and managing to roll them to a side.

Solo, meanwhile, was having trouble trying to keep the smaller, wiggling form still enough without losing any non-existent ground that he might have claimed. Since when had Duo gotten better at this? Usually whenever they used to wrestle, he'd come out on top in a minute flat.

Then Duo got the upper hand, straddling the blond's waist as he hauled his upper body upwards and then shoved it back onto the floor, taking the blond's stunned form and pinning the arms down with an iron tight grip.

Panting hard with a shit eating grin on his face, he said, "Gotcha."

Coming out of his daze, Solo jerked his body, trying to knock the braided one off him and failing miserable as Duo retained his perch. Well son of a bitch.

Their eyes soon connected, cobalt blue meeting pure green and neither having the willpower to break the stare-off. Unspoken emotions, unasked questions, silent exclamations all shot through the air between the two pairs of optic organs and silence reined between the two.

It was Duo who broke down first, collapsing down onto the larger blond and wrapping his arms tightly around the other, holding on as if he was about to die in the next few minutes. It was all so much, so powerful that he couldn't help but release sobs, full of joy and relief as he embraced his long lost friend, not willing to release him anytime soon. Green eyes had followed his unexpected descent and slowly the strong arms enveloped the emotionally overpowered boy that lay crying against him. He may have had a stringent control over his own emotions but he wasn't able to hold in the tears that managed to leak out as he too was overcome by it all.

Two friends, separated for nearly a decade, had finally reunited with one another and neither was willing to let the other go anytime soon.

---

He had a duffel bag stuffed to the brim by the time his sister popped her head into his room, eyeing him curiously.

"Quatre dear? Are you going somewhere?" the blonde asked, her friendly brown eyes warm yet questioning at the same time.

"Something's come up," Quatre Raberba Winner, the sole male of the wealthy Winner Family and former Gundam pilot, answered briefly as he managed to cram a last pair of socks into the bag, barely being able to full zip it up closed. "Trowa called earlier, said a friend has gone missing. I need to go to see what I can do to help."

The blonde watching him frowned, her warm brown eyes losing their friendliness and hardening. "Quatre, you have more important things to do than to go search for someone on the missing persons' roster. We need you here."

"Sorry, but this is more important, Deborah," Quatre retorted briskly, ducking his head down so that he could get his head under the duffel's strap. He stood up to his full height, not hindered in the slightest by the weight of the bag. He wasn't a Gundam pilot for nothing, you know.

"Oh? Why's it more important than your duty? Our duty?" Deborah asked snippily.

"That can wait," Quatre replied, standing his ground and not in the least intimidated by the smaller female that was now blocking his way. "How long have you been searching anyway? You still haven't found who it is in all this time so it can wait a little longer while I take care of this."

Quatre shoved passed his sister, not caring for a second if he had pushed her aside too roughly but was soon covered in that inevitable guilt. Out of all the Gundam pilots, why was it him who had to have the biggest conscience? Still, he had put his foot down and he wasn't about to recant, not now anyway.

"Running away again?" Deborah asked from behind him, struggling to keep up. She wasn't the most athletic of the sisters after all…

That caused him to stop in his tracks. "I'm not running," he stated softly but there was a sharp tone in his voice, warning her to not provoke him any further. "Running away would imply that I didn't intend to come back. I will come back but first I need to take care of this so please, do not waste any more of my time!"

He marched forth, any guilt in his mind gone. His veiled threat had been received so now that his blood sister was taken care of, it was time to go looking for his spirit brother. All the while, he pondered why exactly Duo would need to vanish and who would be after him…

---

It was understandable that not even the toughest of Gundam pilots was immune to the effects of stress and as Trowa headed up the driveway to the small house that he could proudly say was his, said stress was visible in his body language as he hunched in the driver's seat of his car. Shutting off the engine to the vehicle, he chose to slouch in his seat, starring out through the windshield at his dark surroundings, trying to find some kind of answer to the latest dilemma to enter his life.

Let it never be said that the life of a Gundam pilot was boring; far from it in fact. Even now in this day and age there were those who would love nothing more than to take a pilot down a few pegs so each and every one of them had to keep their guards up at all times. It was only in moments like these that Trowa allowed his carefully crafted masks to slip off and show just a sign of the nameless mercenary that resided deep within him.

It was easy to see that he was worried about his friend and war buddy. Despite not spending much time with the currently missing Deathscythe pilot during the wars, it was afterwards that he had formed a more personal, tentative friendship with the other. In fact, it was because of the menace that was Duo Maxwell that he was able to meet up with his fiancé, Hannah, who was probably inside the house worrying herself sick that he hadn't come home yet.

Shoving open the car door, he trudged out and tiredly made his way into the house, blinking owlishly when he entered the darkened building. Huh, he would've thought that Hannah would've been still up waiting for his return. She wasn't out since her car was parked in the garage so that had to mean she was still here.

Having an idea to the answer of this latest mystery, he headed towards the bedroom where he found a single bedside lamp up, the light casting over the sleeping beauty that rested on the bed. Cupid bow lips parted slight as the rush of air entered and escaped with each breath that was taken, an ethereal face that glowed with an inner radiance that was small and childish at the same time sent his heart racing within his chest.

So Hannah had been waiting up for him; looks like she lost the battle against the Sandman though. With a small smile gracing his lips, he slipped his Preventers jacket off and slid down onto the bed, settling himself right next to the prone body. He combed his fingers into the curly chestnut locks, resting his hand on her head and continued to watch her with ill-concealed adoration.

With a stray thumb, he stroked her cheek gently, watching critically as the young woman at his side slowly emerged from the deep recesses of unconsciousness and back into the real world. She blinked her eyes opened, looking straight ahead for a few seconds in confusion, wondering why she had woken up, before the beautiful molten brown eyes slid to the side and connected with his deep emerald shade.

"Hey," he spoke softly, his breath barely ghosting against her skin.

Those soft lips curved upwards and a soft voice greeted, "You're back," sleep coloring the tone. A yawn escaped her, making the small woman look like a little puppy and made Trowa fall in love with her all over again.

"Yes," he answered, leaning in and planting a sweet, delicate peck on those lips that he so intimately knew.

Hannah sighed blissfully next to him, sleep mirroring from her eyes as they were covered by heavy eyelids only to reappear as they opened. "How did it go?" she asked, voice still as quiet as before.

This time it was his turn to sigh but that was all that was needed to convey to the little woman that tonight hadn't been a good one. She brought a small hand up to his cheek and stroked that part of the unibanged man's face, continuing to do so even as Trowa placed his much larger hand on top of it. Still, he felt the need to verbalize just what was boiling beneath the surface; he wasn't afraid that it would make the situation more real since he had always been on the pragmatic side.

"It was a mess," he told her. "A few bodies, Duo's apartment trashed, it was just…it was just one huge mess."

Hannah looked back at him with wide eyes. "And what about…Duo?" she asked at last, curiosity finally winning over her hesitation.

"Nowhere to be found," he said truthfully. "He's just…gone. Then again, he was always good at hiding. What was that he always said? He'd run and hide but never lied? Well, hopefully he's just laying low and he'll pop up sometime in the morning if not sooner."

"Sooner?" Hannah asked.

"Heero's tearing up the place," Trowa chuckled slightly. "He's never made it a secret that he cares for Duo so I shouldn't be too surprised by that. Funny how everyone knows yet Duo seems to have no clue."

"Men," Hannah commented. "Too boneheaded to figure out their emotions."

"That include me?" he asked teasingly.

"Especially you," she teased back. "Do you remember what it took for you to just agree on going on a date with me? You should."

"How could I forget?" he said. "You gave me a lap dance and told me if I wanted more, I had to at least pay for dinner and a movie. Never knew you had it in you to do something like that."

"It was Duo's suggestion," she replied, falling silent at the mentioning of the braided one's name.

Seeing the falter, he placed a chaste kiss onto her lips. "We will find him," he told her steadfastly. "Someone like him can only stay hidden for so long."

"I hope you're right about that," she sighed, cuddling closer to him.

"When have I ever been wrong?" he chuckled as he reached over her and turned off the bedside lamp, flooding the room with darkness.


	7. Too Many Reunions

Author's Note: Quick update, yes, but don't get used to it. That time of the year again, Finals, and for those who have them, both KO and I wish you luck. We're all gonna need it…uhg…

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language, violence, death

Too Many Reunions

"So let me get this straight," Duo said slowly. "You've been living underground on L2 for the past few years learning about magic, not that flashy stuff or sleight of hand crap but actual magic, from some guy who came out of nowhere and only during the past few months have you managed to get to Earth and look for me. Is that about right?"

"In a nutshell," Solo answered.

"And you expect me to believe all that at face value," Duo added.

"Kinda," Solo squirmed while underneath that intense gaze that his former protégé must have come up with on his own since he sure as hell didn't remember teaching him how to do it.

"And those guys back there, the ones that attacked me and wrecked my car, were also using the same kind of 'magic' that you can use also?" Duo continued.

"What else ya want me ta say?" Solo blurted out. He was not good under this kind of pressure!

Duo's cobalt blue eyes continued to bore into the blond, as if searching for any hint of falsehood. Despite knowing that he hadn't told a single lie, Solo still felt a little bit of apprehension. He began to worry that maybe he had left something out and wracked his mind trying to figure out what it could be. Coming up with nothing, he continued to shift uneasily under Duo's unwavering gaze.

They had ten or so years to catch up on with one another and to do so, they had agreed to relocate to the bed mainly because it was more comfortable than the floor and also because of Solo's bruised ego. Getting pinned by Kid—er Duo of all people was just plain ass embarrassing and the blond knew that the younger was not going to let him live it down anytime soon.

Finally, the braided one sighed and broke off eye contact. "Have no reason not to believe it," he said. "It explains a bit of what those guys were talking about and how they were able to do all that crap and it kinda does explain why you're right here, still alive…"

"Ah, did ya miss me?" Solo asked cheekily.

"Damn right I did!" Duo glared at the other. "It was hell Solo," he continued, pressing himself closer to the blond as if afraid that other was going to disappear again. "I'm not leadership material and I had to take over the gang! Some of the younger ones were asking for you and it had to be me who told them about you. Do you know how hard it was for me to lose you, the best friend I've ever had?!"

"Hey, hey," Solo cut in, "don't get all like that. I'm here now, ain't I?"

"But you weren't then," Duo retorted. "Not when it really mattered."

Scratching the back of his head, Solo said, "I could say that I was sorry but that don't change a damn thing, does it? Sorry can't change the past no matter how much we want it to."

"I know," Duo sighed. "I know that better than anyone," he added bitterly.

Raising his hand, Solo pressed it against Duo's chin and forced the other to look up at his stern expression. "Don't'cha start gettin' all emo on me," he said warningly. "Now what's it gonna take to turn that frown upside down?"

Duo couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Stop with the cheesy lines, Solo," he said. "You might just kill me with them before the others…oh crap!"

"What?" Solo stiffened, a wedge of concern stabbing him.

"I forgot about the guys!" Duo exclaimed, really looking worried. "They're bound to find out about that fight and they'll come looking for me! And I didn't call them back earlier!"

"That's it?" Solo snorted. "Ya almost gave me a heart attack, you brat."

"If you knew the guys, you would have a heart attack," Duo grumbled. "They're gonna tear this city apart, especially Heero. Damn it, where's my cell?"

"Who's Hero?" Solo asked, curious.

"Heero, not Hero," Duo corrected, snapping his head around to try and find his missing cell phone, "and he's the most stubborn son of a bitch I've ever met. Shoots first, asks questions after everyone's dead kind of guy."

"Oh? There's someone more stubborn than you?" Solo jested, still laying on his side.

"Shocking, ain't it?" Duo replied, his eyes lighting up on what appeared to be a motel phone. He would have used it except that he noticed the dialing device wasn't a key pad but an old fashion turner. Damn, that thing had to be older than the Colonies! Did it still work?

Then he realized another thing: even if he could figure out how to use it, he didn't know the others' phone numbers. He had kept them all on speed dial so he wouldn't have to remember. Damn it, of all the things not to memorize. Guess he was going to have to either go to one of their homes or go straight to HQ and Une. Thinking about those guys who attacked him, perhaps the latter option would be the better one…

But he came across one last obstacle: Solo. The blond still had his arms wrapped around him and he didn't look like he was going to be letting go anytime soon. Then again, it had been so long since he had been with his childhood friend… Ehmm, eh, er…

Goddamn it.

"Solo," he sighed. "Much as this pains me, I'm gonna need you to let go."

"Huh?" Solo blinked up at him, looking quite clueless.

"I gotta let them know I'm alright…but I can't remember the number," he continued, cheeks flushing slightly in embarrassment.

Solo's eyes narrowed. "I don't think I like da idea of ya running around with those other guys out there lookin' for ya."

"It'll be quick!" Duo protested, starting squirmed in Solo's hold. He could have gotten out of it a long time ago but he didn't want to hurt his friend while doing it. Who knew how much damage he could cause?

"Nope!" Solo chirped as he tightened his arms. "Not letting ya out of my sight, Kid."

"You can come with," Duo said, trying to barter with the blond.

"Don't feel like movin'," Solo replied as he made himself even more comfortable on the bed. "Tired too," he added, letting a yawn escape him. "I'm not da worst of company, am I?"

Oh great, the asshole was guilt tripping him…and damn it, it was working! Perhaps it had been the stress from that day or maybe he was still reeling from finding out his best friend and mentor was still among the living but Duo caved in with yet another sigh and he let himself fall back onto the bed.

"Fine," he sighed, "but first thing in the morning, we're going to HQ. 'Kay?"

"Kid," Solo said warningly. "I don't want ya going out where you might get ambushed by those guys. Stay here 'till I can think of something."

"Solo, I have a life out there," Duo finally snapped. "As much as I'd like to just lie here and trade war stories with you, I have duties and other obligations and stuff that I have to do. I'm a cop now and I've got relationships out there. I can't vanish off the face of the Earth, even if I wanted to. I did kill a lot of people in the wars and something like this can get my fucking pardon revoked. As much as I hate being on a leash, I'd rather have that than being locked away in a cage."

"Since when did you become responsible?" Solo asked, a bit bewildered at the other's outburst.

"The moment I thought you died in my arms," Duo whispered back, falling silent once more.

---

"So? Anyone got any leads or clues?" a certain Wolf spoke, eying his buddies critically. When all he got were shakes of the head or a "No," he sighed irritably.

"Damn it, we can't go back empty handed," he growled. "Do you know what Ciliars would do to us if we did?"

"At least it ain't the Phantom," one of the others spoke up. A group shudder soon ensued as they all contemplated that.

"Then we'll have to make sure we get him tomorrow," Wolf growled. Since this was Wolf, it was an actual animalistic growl that slipped out of his throat. "No excuses, we take care of this shit tomorrow, no matter what."

---

The light of day was such a beautiful thing, at least it would be if Duo hadn't found himself waking up in a motel room this fine day. Solo's presence kinda made up for it but other than that, Duo was still a bit peeved over last night's events.

Not only that, he had to convince Solo, without using blunt force trauma, to let him go to HQ to check in. Apparently, though, a groggy, early-morning Solo was easier to convince than an adrenaline filled Solo at midnight. Of course, Solo was more or less trying to get him to shut up, just like old times, and Duo couldn't help but marvel at that. Looks like not everything had changed about his friend. He grinned wickedly as he filed this bit of information away.

So there they were, emerging from the motel room in broad daylight, Solo finally regaining his senses and figuring out what his brat of a protégé had made him agree to. As he took the key back to the main office, grumbling all the way, Duo got a good look at their ride and it wasn't a stretch to say that he wasn't happy about it.

In fact, he gave Solo a piece of his mind about it once the blond got back.

"Is this what I think this is?" he spoke, his voice low with tension. "You have, in your possession, a Kawasaki 250 Ninja, in pristine condition I might add, and you were using it all last night as a piece of junk to hit those assholes with, and banged it up like this? You have got a lot of _fuckin'_ nerve, mister!"

Solo blinked at this unexpected display of anger. "It's just a chopper I pinched, what's da big deal?" he asked.

"Just a chopper?" Duo nearly shrieked, giving the blond the evil eye. "Like I'm just a run-of-the-mill pilot? My ass it is! This 'chopper' is a fucking piece of engineering art and that's including the exterior! You don't just use this thing as a fucking battering ram Solo!"

"What the hell? Are you PMSing on me?" Solo gaped. Despite the fact that Duo seemed to be overreacting to something so small in the blond's mind, he couldn't help but feel a little warm inside when Duo's _blazing_ eyes turned to glare into him. Talk about firecrackers, Duo was a fucking bomb!

"A man's pride and joy is his vehicle," Duo growled, crossing his arms. "No one messes with it and you don't fuck it up. Those are two of the unwritten rules in the Book of Man! When I still had Deathscythe, I'd rip off anybody's hand if they touched him without my permission!"

"It's not as if the guy knows who I am," Solo snorted. "And even if he did, I'd kick his ass anyway, so no harm, no foul."

"Except to the innocent Kawasaki," Duo muttered, still glaring balefully at his friend. "When this is all over, you are going to let me fix this baby up, got it?"

"Fine, okay, I get it," Solo groaned as he took his seat on the motorcycle, putting the helmet on simultaneously. "I'm an asshole who wrecks motorcycles. Now will ya get on already? I don't like this bein' out in the open with those assholes still out there."

Letting another growl escape him, Duo nonetheless got on the back and wrapped his arms around the other's waist. It wouldn't due for him to fall off; besides he had done this with one of the others at one time or another. Oddly enough, Heero seemed to really like it…

A beautiful purr from the engine lit up the silence and then the harmonious roar as it was revved and the two were off, speeding down the streets of Sanc.

---

It had been dawn when Quatre had arrived at Preventers Headquarters and the first thing he had done was to ask for a cup of coffee. He hadn't gotten much sleep as he had only gotten some shuteye on the shuttle over here. Plus he was used to going without sleep for long periods of time; just a little caffeine was needed to give him an extra boost. He preferred tea but you had to make do with what you've got.

Taking a sip of the hot liquid, he got down to business and asked for the briefing from the others.

It was mainly Wufei and Trowa who got him up to speed. Heero was single minded as he rapidly typed at the nearest computer monitor, going through records and searching for any sign of Duo no matter how illegal some of the things he was doing were.

He didn't even bat an eyelash at that. That was typical Heero behavior so he wasn't too worried about it. What he was worried about was the information given to him about Duo's case. There had obviously been some sort of fight outside of their friend's apartment but much of what was found didn't make sense.

At least to those three it didn't make sense but Quatre had a pretty good idea of what may have gone on. Some of the things mentioned sounded familiar and he knew that given enough time he could figure out just who else was involved but he wasn't about to tell the others about it quite yet.

After all, would the other three pilots, soldiers through and through who only believed what they could see, accept the explanation that something otherworldly had been responsible for this? Stepping out of the world of guns, explosions and science to the realm of magic was never an easy transition…

As he pondered on what he should say to the others, he once again glanced over at Heero who hadn't moved from his spot during the entire briefing. That piqued his interest as he wondered why the other was working as if it had been Relena who was missing. And if his guess as to who was involved with this was correct, why would they be going after Duo of all people? Something wasn't adding up here.

"Come up with anything yet?" Trowa asked conversationally from his side.

"Not really," he confessed, not taking his eyes off the pictures of the scene of destruction that didn't in any way faze him. Quatre could tell from the corner of his eye that Trowa was looking at him and his lack of reaction carefully, not that the blond Winner minded. Still, if Trowa wasn't going to broach that different subject, then Quatre saw no need to explain himself. "I'm still trying to figure out why someone would be after Duo in the first place. Would you know anything?"

"At this point in time, only William Bryce would have a grudge with Duo," Trowa shrugged. "However, he's in custody and in a bit of a coma so there's no way he could have been involved with any of this, especially since he was captured yesterday as well."

"I know, I saw the news," Quatre said grimly though he couldn't help but let a small smile escape him at the memory. "You have any leads?"

"Just a motorcycle track found at the scene," Trowa answered. "Heero's busy trying to track it down as well as the owner. Right now we're using the intersection cameras trying to find any sign of Duo."

"Isn't that a bit illegal?" Quatre asked, looking up at his friend.

"It's also illegal to destroy public policy," Wufei huffed, not looking up from the reports on Duo's apartment. "Breaking and entering can also be added to that list."

"Oh? So you already have suspects in mind?" he inquired. Perhaps he had overestimated them…

When Wufei and the others remained silent, the blond took it as a sign that no, they did not have one on their list. Perhaps he hadn't overestimated; those people were good at hiding what they did after all.

---

Duo had long given up on trying to get Solo to obey the fucking traffic laws. As the blond weaved through the early morning traffic, coming dangerously close to hitting cars and buses as he wasn't that good on a chopper as he thought he was, Duo had tried to verbally get Solo to at least try and drive a bit safer.

If anything, Solo was to get worse, running through a busy intersection while an eighteen-wheeler was coming right at them. Duo suspected that he had done that on purpose but he couldn't deny that giddy adrenaline rush from the terrifying moment.

His next attempt to coax the blond to seeing things his way involved him pulling on the blond's ponytail. That hadn't worked well as they almost did get into a wreck.

So after more pleading and whatnot, he just settled himself against the other's back and held on for dear life. Maybe he should have grabbed the helmet before Solo did; there wasn't another one so he was quite vulnerable out here and why weren't there cops around when you needed them?

"So we getting' close yet?" Solo yelled over the rushing air.

"What?" he shouted back.

"I've been goin' in circles for the past five minutes!" Solo complained. "I don't know where the hell we are!"

Looking around, Duo had to admit that he didn't have a clue; he hadn't been to this part of Sanc or even knew it existed. Well this was just great. Guess they needed to…ugh…_ask_ for directions. Maybe if he asked for a street name, perhaps that might lessen the blow to his pride and ego…

"Pull over!" he yelled.

He didn't see the mischievous grin on the blond's face and if he had, he would have been scared. That, however, was a moot point as Solo suddenly jerked them to a stop right in front of a red light. Ramming into the blond's back, he cursed his friend for all he was worth and more so. As much as he hadn't wanted to hurt his friend back at the motel, he was really starting to reconsider it. Perhaps a little bit of bodily harm might get through this asshole's thick skull…

"We got a minute," Solo called back to him cheekily. "You got a plan?"

"Bastard," he muttered as he began to look side to side, searching for a passerby in which to ask for…ugh…directions…

Something else caught his eye and when he focused on it, his eyes grew wide as he noticed a pair of familiar looking transients, both of whom were looking back at him with just as much surprise.

"Solo," he said worriedly. "I'm thinking we better get out of here, now!"

"What?" the blond frowned, looking back as the braided one then looking towards where Duo was looking. "Shit!" he swore as he revved the engine and sped off into the busy intersection ahead just as the pavement beneath them erupted into a cloud of debris and rubble.

The blaring of car horns mixed with the blurring surroundings as Solo was forced to do expert-only maneuvers in order to not get them killed. If it hadn't been from a helping hand from the shadows, summoned with a quick thought, they probably would've been dead due to being embedded in a semi-engine. Thankfully, the shadows buffered them but that was nothing more than an instant's worth of relief as death still surrounded them.

Duo couldn't help but feel helpless in this situation; usually he was the one at the controls so he could have at least done something but here he was leaving his fate in the hands of an amateur. Well, it wasn't as if he hadn't done stupid things before.

Also, he'll never admit to closing his eyes for the rest of that chaos, only opening them when they had come to a sudden stop. Only then did he realize just how tightly he was gripping his older friend and how hard the blond was gasping from breath, already coming down from the adrenaline high. Let it not be said, though, that Duo didn't have the clarity of mind to look around, searching for their would-be attackers and finding them closing in on them, making their way through the pileup that had resulted.

Without even a word, Duo slipped around Solo and inserted himself in front of him, batting the other's hands away and revving up the engine.

"Hold on tight!" he yelled warningly as he took off. He ignored the feeling of Solo's strong arms wrapping around his torso tightly in favor of paying more attention to what was ahead of him, expertly driving the motorcycle and weaving it through the stalled traffic.

But, as if someone had something against him, up ahead he could see more of the goons from last night rounding a street corner, eerie bright lights flashing from their hands. Gritting his teeth, Duo sharply turned their ride and headed straight into an open mall complex, easily getting around the concrete blockers and almost running over a couple who were just coming out.

---

A box popped up on Heero's monitor but he had already accessed it before his mind had registered it. He was met with a report of a huge traffic accident out in West Sanc, close to the downtown area yet still quite a bit a ways from it. He instinctively wanted to dismiss it but something about it just wouldn't leave him alone.

So, graciously putting his frantic search for Duo on hold, he checked it out, hacking into the intersection cameras and glancing over the images presented to him.

He'd recognize the braid anywhere.

---

"Where is he?" Wolf roared as he came onto the scene, not bothered in the slightest by the carnage.

"In there!" one of his lackeys exclaimed, gesturing towards a certain open mall.

Growling, he snarled, "Well what are you idiots waiting for? After him!"

---

Perhaps it hadn't been a good idea to stay on the motorcycle. Now that he glanced at the mirrors, he could see the long tread mark left behind in their wake and anyone with half a brain cell would use it to track them down.

Such a revelation hadn't occurred to him until after driving through the open mall's food court where he had snagged someone's soda by accident. Turning around to shout an apology for the theft, he had then noticed their trail. If this had been a war, this stupid stunt would have gotten them killed! He must be losing his touch or something.

Stopping in front of the large entrance to a department store, he snapped his attention from side to side, searching for a possible exit. It would just have to be his luck that he traveled down into the wing that didn't have such simple things like a way out and he groaned as he realized he was going to have to either backtrack or cause more mayhem by driving into the store.

Meanwhile, Solo, having been awfully quiet this entire time, probably awed by his impressive driving skills, was finally coming out of the stupor he had been in and opened his mouth. "Why ain't we moving?"

"Slight setback," Duo replied, turning them around. However, he stopped cold as he saw two of the goons appear, both blasting those orbs of light at them. "Solo!" Duo cried out.

Rising in front of them like a wall, the shadows caught the two orbs of light and like a slingshot fired them back at the perpetrators. Duo blinked at the explosions but was back in the soldier frame of mind. Acting quickly he turned them around again and sped off into the department store, shooting out the glass entrance simultaneously as he drove in.

Back outside, Wolf came upon the scene, followed by the rest of his little gang. Ignoring his two recovering comrades, he snarled and led the charge into the store.

Okay, it was definitely not the best idea to have gone into the store. There was hardly any room to navigate and there were screaming people everywhere. If he didn't have that "serve to protect" thing going on in his life, Duo was sure that he probably would have shot some people. Was it too hard to just get out of the way, people? Honestly!

Looking behind them, Solo swore. "Ditch the bike, they're gainin'!"

In response, Duo twisted his waist and extended an arm out, gun loaded, and began firing at their pursuers before they could have the time to make use of their magic mumbo jumbo or whatever it was. His shots missed, more than likely due to his targets being too far away, but his attempts to defend himself and Solo were abruptly put to a halt as the blond snatched him off the motorcycle and threw both of them to a side. The two rolled on impact with the floor, coming to a stop in the women's undergarments section.

Shoving Solo off him, Duo swore as he reloaded, peaking around a nearby display to gauge just where their enemies were. Spying at least one of them who oddly enough seemed to know exactly where they were, Duo bided his time, waiting for the last moment so that the fucker wouldn't get the chance to get out of his line of fire. There was something strange about his eyes but Duo pushed that thought out of mind; he was in the zone now and nothing else mattered right now other than taking these assholes down.

Ignoring everything else, when his prey had come into range, Duo blew his cover and fired a bullet straight into the other's head, getting him right between the eyes that suddenly lost their strange consonance.

"Fuck…" he overheard Solo whisper. He smirked wryly at that; they had both changed more than either of them knew…

The next thing the braided one knew was that the display case he was hiding behind was suddenly demolished, torn asunder by the might of Wolf's silent yell. Duo still hadn't been able to figure out how that guy did it but he suspected it was that magic crap Solo kept talking about.

It took less than a second for Duo to aim his next shot at Wolf but no one was more surprised than him when the bullet ricocheted off _something_.

"Barrier spell," Solo muttered from beside him. "Let me handle this Kid."

However, before Solo could do anything, he was hit from the side by a familiar roaring force and sent flying away from the braided one. Solo's body slammed into a shoe display, the table on which rested breaking with a snap, but the blond didn't fully stop until he rammed into a set of chairs.

Eyes widening in fear, Duo shouted out to his friend but was cut off halfway through it as the same force that hit Solo came at him, this time from above, and squished him down against the floor. The sensation of a hand grabbing him paralyzed him and it took him a moment to comprehend it before cursing his lungs out.

What was it that Wolf had called it before? A binding spell? That sounded about right.

A physical hand grabbed him none too kindly by his hair and hauled him up. Angry cobalt eyes met with smug silver ones, the owner of the silver eyes grinning at him ferally.

Only was it now that Duo realized just why this certain individual was called "Wolf."


	8. Massacre

Author's Note: Is interest waning in this fic or is it just that time of the year again and y'all are focusing all your energies on Finals instead of reviewing? I don't know about KO but I suddenly feel all cold inside… So what better way to warm myself up with…yeah, I think the title of this chapter is all the clue you need to know. Don't be shy, tell me and KO how we're doing and if you have a weak stomach…you might want to skip a good amount of this chapter. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language, graphic violence, death…okay, okay, a lot of death

Massacre

Solo groaned as he pushed himself up, his body sore from his abrupt flight. Even he wasn't completely immune to the effects of a force spell and he swore to throttle the asshole that had the gall to hit him with one. Seemed like Adrian's insistence on building up his physical body was coming in handy as he knew that had he been the old, thin streetrat from before, he would have most likely broken something.

However, just because his body was complaining at him didn't mean he was heedless to his surroundings. He swore when he didn't see hide nor hair of his braided charge and also took it as a bad sign that their pursuers were conspicuously absent as well.

A distant but shrill sound caused him to perk up and it took him a minute to recognize the sound of sirens. Judging by how they were getting louder, he knew that he didn't have much time to get out of here before the cops got to him first.

Spying the abandoned motorcycle, he scrambled towards it and pulled it back up into an upright position. Getting on, he took a moment to search for the helmet before figuring out that he was still wearing it and rolling his eyes at himself. He was mildly curious that the thing was still running and had gas in it but nonetheless he pushed that thought to a side and revved the engine up.

---

The four pilots were among the first to arrive at the scene which was mainly due to the fact that Heero was the one driving. Trowa, Wufei and Quatre made a silent pact to one another not to let their stoic friend get behind the wheel of a car for the rest of this case since all three of them still had their self-preservation instincts intact.

Heero, still in "mission mode" as it had been termed by the others, was the first out of the car and was making his way towards the department store. The front entrance was literally just a hole and pieces of the building littered the area around it. Whatever had caused that was powerful but it was just one more detail that Heero took into consideration and filed away as he drew his gun.

However, he hadn't yet reached the building when he heard a mechanical roar which was soon followed by the source of the sound bursting out into the open and nearly running him over.

Heero threw himself out of the way, surprised by the unexpected incident but still in the frame of mind to fire a shot off at the motorcyclist, almost hitting a tire but missing just the same.

The cyclist merely increased his speed, rushing past the other pilots in a blur, his blond ponytail flapping in the wind as the escapee took a sharp left and sped in front of a nearby bystander who was coming to investigate what was going on.

Still going, the motorcyclist ran in front of an incoming Preventers' vehicle, forcing the driver to put on the brakes sharply so that he wouldn't ram into the heedless cyclist.

It didn't escape Heero's attention when the bystander began shouting and chasing after the motorcycle, demanding that it be returned to him. The former pilot narrowed his eyes and began making his way towards the bystander, only one thought on his mind.

He had found their lead.

---

The oppressive weight of spell after spell laid on him was taking its toll on the braided one. It was really neat how once you had a lot of something shoved into your face; you begin to see it as real.

Since Wolf and his cronies were putting binding spell after binding spell on him, Duo was really starting to take this magic stuff seriously In fact, his thoughts were beginning to reflect this so it would be safe to say that whatever Solo had spouted off before about it was only now being taken at face value.

And to be totally honest, the amount of spells placed on him really made it hard to talk, one of his more basic tools when it came to antagonizing his captors.

"You think this is enough, Wolf?" Big Bad Billy asked his leader, the dumb lout not even looking down at the restrained Duo.

"You can't be too sure," Wolf said lightly. "Plus he's very precious cargo. We lose him now, we lose our heads. Ciliars will make sure of that personally."

Stupid fucks, they just gave him their boss's name! Unfortunately…Ciliars did not ring a bell with Duo. He had never even heard of it until now! Still, when he got loose, he'd be sure to put it in a database and find all corresponding hits. Now was that Ciliars or was it Ciliers? Sillers?

He choked as the pressure that was holding him paralyzed increased in intensity. Dear Shinigami, it felt like his bones were going to be crushed at this rate!

"Well, well, well, if this isn't a surprise?" Wolf commented, looking down at the braided one predatorily. "Nearly thirty spells and you're still conscious? Most don't get past seventeen!"

It took a lot of effort but Duo was able to contort his facial features into a glaring scowl. Wolf merely chuckled at Duo's response, resting a hand down on his chest and giving Duo a good angle to see the sharpened fingernails on the other's hand.

What sort of freaks and weirdoes did he get captured by this time?!

"Transport shouldn't be too long now," Wolf continued to speak, talking at Duo as if he was just holding a normal, everyday conversation with him. "Once they get you, the rest will be a breeze. I wonder how the bossmen are going to take this? The rewards will be humungous I bet. Money, power, anything we want. All of that just for turning you in too. We've got it made boys."

_Glad to know you think so highly of me_, Duo thought to himself, eyes narrowing. Didn't these idiots have any brain cells? Only third rate, B-movie villains talked like this.

Running footsteps diverted Wolf's attention towards one of his lackeys. The guy was red in the face, huffing and puffing as if he had just run a marathon. "We got company Wolf!" he cried out. "That guy on the motorcycle, he's back!"

"Stall him," Wolf ordered, growling ferally. "The transport should be able to crush him when they get here!"

"That's the problem," the guy gasped. "They already showed up and he took them out like they were nothing!"

Wolf's growls turned into snarls. "How perfect!" he snarled sarcastically. "This guy's turning out to be a regular pain in the ass, ain't he? Pull everybody back and have them come here. When our knight in shining armor shows up, we'll give him everything we've got. Not even he couldn't survive something like that!"

"What about him?" Billy spoke up, motioning to Duo.

Looking back at the braided one, Wolf had a thoughtful look on his face.

"Hmm, maybe that's not a bad idea," he said to himself, a gleam twinkling in his eye. "I've got an idea. Let's see how many more spells he can take before he goes unconscious. Our pain in the ass should be distracted by seeing him dead from the neck up, eh?"

"But won't more spells kill him?" Billy asked, not sure about the idea. Duo found himself sharing similar sentiments with the lug.

"Nonsense," Wolf said carelessly. "We could put a hundred on him and it wouldn't kill him. Have you forgotten what he is?"

"Oh yeah," Billy said, the proverbial light bulb lighting up in his head.

_What I…am?_ Duo frowned. _What the fuck are they talking about?_

Towering over him, Wolf once again gave Duo the impression of his namesake. With a clawed fingernail, he dragged it lazily across the braided one's forehead, scoring the skin. "I think a blood spell ought to do the trick," Wolf said cheekily. "He won't get close enough to see it for anything other than."

There was an intensifying of the pressure all around his head and that was what it took to make the ex-pilot finally succumb to the darkness.

The key word there being darkness, not unconsciousness.

_A velvety warm sensation enveloped him and for some reason, Duo felt calm, relaxed in it. It was as if he was reuniting with an old friend again, and from what he could feel, this "friend" was one that he wasn't too far removed from._

Trouble, my little friend?_ A smooth, syrupy voice whispered into his ear, a chuckle following._ You've always have had a magnetism for it.

_Finding that he couldn't speak, Duo searched through the darkness that had ensnared his vision, inevitably finding nothing. He shouldn't have been too surprised at that but hey, not every habit from the wars had left him. Still, what he wouldn't give to be able to use his voice and demand to know just what the hell was going on._

_Apparently, the voice whispering in his ear was a mind reader._

Do we forget so soon?_ The voice jested._ No worries, though. Our bond is too strong for something as insignificant as memory to ruin. Think harder, think really hard. I bet you'll figure it out.

_What the hell was this voice talking about? For some reason, he was really getting lulled by it and he found that he really did want to identify who this voice was. Odd, really, since he usually could care less about anyone holding him against his will. Then again, it didn't _feel_ like he was being held against his will despite having a ton of those binding spells on him._

Trust, yes, you can always trust me,_ the voice spoke lightheartedly. _For so long I have protected you, not just from those around you but from yourself as well. You who are my favorite, my special little friend, the one who has my blessing and the only one who does and lives. Despite all the tragedy that you have had to endure, all the painful losses that would drive any mortal to suicide, you have survived and thrived, truly becoming strong. Do you feel it? Do you remember?

_No way. It wasn't possible. He had always believed but…no, this was starting to become too much. This had to be a dream, just had to be. He was just stressed out from the day and probably ate something bad and he was just going to wake up now with the need to vomit in a toilet. All he needed to do was wake up first._

Denial does not suit you, my little friend.

_Hey, who said he was in denial? He denied being in denial!_

Stop fooling yourself with such things. I know you've realized but you have yet to recognize. You once took my title, why so resistant to acknowledging me, your old friend? The shadow who has trailed you since your introduction into this world?

_Damn this thing was persistent. Wait, was he losing his mind? Wouldn't be the first time that happened…_

So amusing. I guess it's a bit much to say that I can help you again? Just like all the other times before? Open yourself up, allow me in, and recognize me as your partner, your friend, your equal.

_The voice was still a whisper yet he could feel it all over his body now, not just in his ear. And still, he was not frightened nor was he terrified. Yet what was being asked of him, that wasn't something he could do on a whim, you know? It had taken years to build the defenses that made Duo Maxwell who he was and to allow this foreign source access into what hadn't been allowed to the four pilots who might as well be his blood brothers was quite overwhelming._

_Nonetheless, he found himself dropping his guard and opening himself, something he would never had contemplated after the Maxwell Church Massacre. But he found himself trusting this voice on some basic level…_

Now was that so hard?_ The voice chuckled before diving into him._

_And then he remembered._

---

The shadows hissed angrily about Solo as he barreled his way into the abandoned medical clinic. He had arrived just in time too; these goons had been expecting company and they came with a large van. It didn't take a genius to figure out that they were trying to make a getaway out of the city.

So, after making sure Duo was not inside the oversized tin can, he summoned his shadows to tear the thing apart and take out anyone close to it.

His plan, though it was being made up on the spot, was simple: cut off the escape route of these assholes and make them pay for taking his best friend away from him. Now that he was just using his specialty elemental magic and not any of the general magic that most were accustomed to, it was easy for him to block off any escape options with shadows just begging to burn into anyone who happened to have raised its master's ire.

From there, he busted down the door to the front entrance and let his shadows devour the first idiot that got in his way. He noticed immediately that the goons were pulling back and he set out to follow them, toying with the idea of letting them lead him to where Duo was being held.

Determining that to be his course of action, that didn't stop him from making playful swipes at his prey. He had to keep them on their toes and not let them think he was getting soft on them now.

He was led to a storage room, one that the blond assumed once held supplies and whatnot. With barely a flick of his fingers, he sent the command for his shadows to tear the door off and from there he threw himself into the room, casting a shield spell around him simultaneously.

There were a couple surprised looks on their faces as he came rushing in, as if they had been expecting him to come in later and maybe make less of an entrance. His eyes narrowed as he saw Duo lying on a table and he could feel the binding spells that had been placed on him, even all the way on the other side of the room.

Those bastards…

He could see the one called Wolf standing over his friend, his hand jerking away from Duo's head as he too was caught off guard by how fast it had taken the blond to reach them. Wolf's surprise soon morphed into a smug sneer and he whipped his hand out, lashing with a slash of blood magic that nearly tore the blond's shield apart.

After that, he was suddenly bombarded by all sorts of magic spells and attacks, his barrier weakening under the barrage at an incredible rate. He pulled his shadows close to him, trying to concentrate all his power around him so that he could at least try and weather this storm of attacks blasting out at him.

"Keep casting!" Wolf roared over the noise. "Don't let up! Not until he's a bloody corpse!"

Then his barrier broke down and shattered but if it weren't for the shadows that he used to surround himself, he would be the first to admit that he'd be a goner. However, the shadows could only shield him from the magical components of the spells. That meant each blow was felt physically, though dulled down somewhat.

The very second that the attacks stopped, Solo fell to his knees, his control over the shadows dissipating and leaving him completely defenseless. Well shit.

Wolf seemed just as surprised at this development as he was. "Like a fucking cockroach. Why aren't you dead already?!"

Panting, Solo threw the other a look of complete loathing. Seeing as how this was the only thing the blond could do, Wolf managed to catch on to that and a wide smirk parted his lips.

"Last dreg, huh? Alright boys, lets do this again and this time, don't let up until there's nothing!" Wolf crowed, silver eyes dancing in delight.

That vicious look was suddenly replaced by that of shock as he was struck from behind by a heavy weight, that weight being nothing than that of the body of his dull-witted crony. However, even Solo was repulsed at the sight of the swollen features of the guy as well as the pus and blood that was gushing out of his body and the jagged ends of bones stabbing out from beneath his skin.

"What the fuck?" Wolf gasped, voicing the collective thought of everyone in the room before slowing turning around at the sudden presence of something…unfriendly.

What he found was Duo's still body and it took him a moment to pick up something odd about it. It was his braid, the chestnut rope of hair hovering over the prone body and if you looked closely, you could swear there were two eyes peeking out from the end of it.

In the next instant, the end of the braid let loose an animalistic shriek as a mouth full of razor sharp teeth and fangs split the end of it in half. Without warning, every single binding spell placed on Duo shattered and the shockwave from that amount of spells being broken at the same time crushed everyone against the nearest flat surface.

An oppressive weight of magical energy held them all down and Solo found that he could see the purplish aura of it surrounding his friend's body just as purple flames engulfed Duo. As if from a horror movie, Duo sat up ramrod straight and slowly turned his head to face them all, revealing not his handsome visage but that of a skull, a purple light radiating out from empty eye sockets that took in every single living being.

"What is that _thing_?!" one of Wolf's goons cried out and if Solo had taken a look at the speaker, he would have found the guy had pissed himself.

"No!" Wolf screamed. "It's too soon! You can't do this!"

The feral young man unleashed a roar as he threw himself at the transformed Duo, his sharpened fingernails begging to be immersed in blood and flesh. Unfortunately for Wolf, Duo's braid intercepted him with lightning quick speed and stabbed right into his chest. Wolf shrieked in pain, grabbed onto the braid and tried to tug it off him but to no avail.

Ghastly eyes turning towards Wolf, Duo spoke in a deep voice, one that sent chills down everyone's spines, speaking only a single word in the language of magic but that everyone universally understood.

"_Die_."

Wolf's shriek became almost inhuman as blood spouted out from every orifice on his body which was shriveling up right before it exploded into a mess of organs and bodily fluids. Solo counted his blessings that he was too far away to be splattered by any of it but as Duo stood up, he tried to shrink in on himself.

There was something really terrifying about this specter…

"Foolish mortals," Duo's unearthly voice bellowed. "You dare to confine me and my chosen and believe that you, you who are mere footnotes in the story of humanity, can wield _my_ might to do your every whim? Your trespasses will not be tolerated by me." Then the voice picked up and Solo shivered as Duo's normal baritone hissed, "It's time to keep your dates with your makers."

The bangs that once hung over the nightmarish face pulled away as the visible jawbone opened inhumanly wide. The power of death itself oozed out slowly from the enlarged mouth like a mist but only when it reached a certain distance away from Duo did it shoot off at rocket speeds to strike each of Wolf's goons.

Then the massacre began.

The first to be struck screamed in agony as his skin and bodily tissues melted off his bones while another's skeleton was crushed to dust within him, his organs being squeezed along with it. One tried to defend himself with a shield but it was of no use as the power of death itself corroded the spell and forced the energy back into the caster, tearing him to shreds.

Other various reactions occurred, some thugs trying to fight back unsuccessfully and others trying to escape and failing miserably, never reaching the exit. Solo found that he had to shut his eyes and clamp his hands over his ears and try to block out the horror that was happening before him yet he wasn't able to block everything out as screams managed to get into his ears.

Only after the last gurgle did the blond slowly take in the scene. In the midst of the carnage stood Duo in all his demonic glory, the skull-like face horrible to look at yet the blond found he could not look away from it.

He was scared shitless, he'd be the first to admit it. When he had come in here with the intention of rescuing his friend, he hadn't expected anything close to this…

It was needless to say that he was terrified that Duo hadn't gotten his rage out and if he made the wrong move, he feared that he would experience death all over again. That was something that he was fully determined not to go through again, especially after all the trouble he had gone through hunting Duo down.

Knowing what he was about to do was probably the stupidest thing he had ever done, he steeled his nerves as he called out tentatively, "Duo?"

Those purple filled eye sockets snapped towards him and Solo had the impression that Duo was grinning at him. However, when Duo began to speak, it wasn't with that deeper streetrat mouth of his but that dark, inhuman one.

"Glad to know you're still alive Solo," the voice spoke to him. "I wouldn't know what our mutual friend would do if he was to see you dead again."

Solo narrowed his eyes. "Who are you? How do you know me?"

"My do you have a quick mind," the not-Duo jested, chuckling. "Good to know that I'm leaving my chosen in good hands then."

Solo's eyebrow twitched. "Will you answer the fucking question?" he snarled, forgetting all about his fear for the moment.

"You already know me," the not-Duo replied lightheartedly. "We've met before, seen one another, and then Adrian snatched you away before you could make yourself at home. Now that I think about it, that was perhaps for the best."

Okay, now he was officially creeped out. He recalled telling Duo about Adrian last night so he shouldn't be surprised that this…thing knew about it. Yet it was the way it talked about Adrian, as if he knew…more.

"Remember what Adrian told you," the not-Duo suddenly intoned, all humor vanishing. Then in a perfect mimic, he said, "…protect that…which is closest…to your heart…" That struck Solo straight to the core. It sounded just like Adrian had right then in there, the pain, the battle for breath, everything!

And then he understood.

"You waved at me," he whispered. "When I…died…you were there!"

"As I always have been," not-Duo said, "and as I always will be. However, I can only do so much in this realm, boy. Search within yourself and do not blind yourself from what your heart has known for years. Protect my chosen from those who wish to use him else I'll have to pay you a very _special_ visit."

Solo swallowed. "O-of course…Death…"

"Until we meet again Solo," Death said, "and we will. All meet with me at some point or another."

What happened next was probably just as weird as everything else yet this time Solo couldn't pull his attention away as he watched in morbid fascination. The purple light dimed as pale skin, muscle, and tissue spread out from beneath Duo's clothing and hairline, the skull gradually fading away until it was as if it had never been. Duo's face regained its color gradually, a pinkish blush coloring his cheeks and expressing the life and vitality that had returned.

Daringly, after a long moment had passed, Solo ventured to break it by asking out loud, "Kid?"

Slowly, eyelids peeled back to reveal not cobalt blue eyes but pure violet irises, pupils dilating and retracting as they slowly grew used to the dim lighting. It seemed as if Duo had no more energy left in his body as he began to pitch forward, Solo racing to catch him in his strong arms and support him.

For the next few minutes, there was nothing but silence between the former streetrats, only harsh breathing disturbing it but nothing more. Then Duo slowly looked upwards to look Solo dead in the eyes, fear expressing itself from his changed eyes.

"Solo?" Duo asked fearfully, his voice so quiet that Solo had to strain his ears to hear him. "What's happening to me?"

Solo wished he could answer him but knew he couldn't.

He hadn't a good idea either.


	9. Shadow of The Collective

Author's Note: Here's an excerpt from KO:

"T.T AV and I aren't feeling a lot of love here. My thanks go to wind dancer1981 though, thanks for the support, your awesome! We'd love to hear from our other readers too though."

I'd like to add that ShadowMajin, Archsage Soren, anf600, and hell even Toraus can be also be included for that thanks but for the rest of you, come on! Review, tell KO and I how we're doing or if there's something you don't like and want us to do something about it. Honesty is the best policy here and really, we're getting lonely over here in our niches on the net so please, PLEASE, speak to us!

Okay, now that the desperate cry for attention is through, let's get down to business. Some old faces and some new faces pop of this time around so sit back and enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

Shadow of The Collective

It was an odd assortment of men who gathered in this dark chamber, lit only by the eerie blue light that radiated from the center of the large, round table. Each individual masked themselves in the shadows yet could see one another as if they were in the light of day. It was needless to say that these men's dealings were just as shady as their surroundings were but this wasn't just any sort of meeting.

Hovering above the dim blue light that barely illuminated the dark chamber was an illusion, one that held the image of the one they had long been searching for. The tension in the room was palpable but it wasn't one of ill-warning and more of anticipation and excitement.

Then one of the shadowy figures spoke up, his deep voice booming throughout the chamber.

"Windweaver's group of Collectors has failed in their mission. As of now, our Death Mage has managed to elude our grasp. That, my fellows, is unacceptable. What do you have to say for yourself, Ciliars?"

Windweaver, a.k.a. Ciliars, seethed in silence, glaring at his superior with his green-streaked blue eyes. Like the others, he wasn't happy about the failure of his subordinates but he was downright peeved that the failure was being put on his shoulders. He may have been the youngest here but that didn't give the rest of these old farts the rights to blame everything wrong on him!

He was a prodigy in his own right; a master manipulator whose specialty was controlling the wind. He had quickly risen through the ranks of this secret organization, becoming the youngest to take one of the desirable Title Seats. Fifteen was his rank, his number, and damn it he was proud of the accomplishment.

So, trying not to tip off to any of the others his offended pride, he said, "It seems likely that the men who had assured me they would complete this…retrieval operation have failed, most likely due to their own incompetence and inadequacy that they failed to mention to me." Damn those big words; he hated using such vocabulary, an unspoken requirement if you were to engage in any sort of speaking while in one of these meetings.

"So are you claiming that you had nothing to do with this?" the commanding voice stated.

Ciliars winced. The Second Seat really knew how to get to the heart of the matter.

There was an audible scoff. "Seems like our Fifteenth isn't up to the job," the Fourth Seat spat out in a high, nasally voice.

Ciliars growled. _Damn you Wolf,_ he thought to himself. _You better be rotting in Hell because when I get my hands on you…_

"Keep your thoughts down, Windweaver," the Fifth Seat spoke up. "I can hear you all the way over here."

"Immature," the Fourth Seat sniffed. "How did you ever get this far, boy?"

"Now, now, Hierarchy," the Fourteenth Seat, whom Ciliars knew simply as Damasio, said soothingly. "We all make mistakes, even you. Perhaps something can still be salvaged from this, information perhaps?"

"Such as what? What not to do?" Hierarchy sneered.

"That is enough, LeDoux," the Second Seat ordered. "If you have nothing constructive to add, do not bother speaking."

The Fourth Seat, Hierarchy or LeDoux, scowled and stewed in his seat but remained silent. Let it never be said that the Second Seat couldn't bring order even out of the most dissatisfied people.

"Perhaps I might suggest something," a new voice spoke up and Ciliars shivered in his seat. Oh no, not now…

"What's on your mind, Phantom?" the Second Seat asked, leaning forward.

"At this point in time, I have managed to find out that the Death Mage has begun to newly come into his powers," the Phantom stated. "As of now he will be highly volatile and just sending the grunts in will be nothing more than a waste in time."

"What do you propose?" the Second Seat asked, nodding his head.

"Simple, we find someone…expendable, someone that no one will notice should they just disappear and have them capture our prize," the Phantom explained. "Of course, these individuals will be nothing more than cannon fodder as we use them to test out the Death Mage. From there, we bring in a specialist whom we will inform of all the information gathered about how the mage acts in battle and then allow him to take over."

"Are you suggesting we bring in outsiders?" Hierarchy nearly shrieked. "Have you lost your mind?!"

"Hardly," the Phantom replied dryly. "And you have any better ideas, LeDoux? If so, I would so love to hear them."

"That is enough," the Second Seat interrupted. "I will not tolerate any more squabbles from anyone, do I make myself clear? Now, Phantom, your idea does have merit but I have to agree with Hierarchy and question you about bringing in outsiders into this."

"And I understand where you are coming from," the Phantom said smoothly. "The organization has remained in the shadows for millennia, waiting for the very opportunity we now have in front of us. There's no reason why this still shouldn't be so."

"What do you mean by that, Sixth Seat? I'm afraid you've lost me," Damasio spoke up from beside Ciliars.

If there had been any more light in this chamber, Ciliars was sure he would have seen a sickening smile on the face of that devil codenamed the Phantom. He would have preferred Hierarchy over this bastard any day.

"Leave this matter in my hands and let me worry about everything," the Phantom said. "If I can keep myself out of the public spotlight, I can sure as hell keep our pursuit of the Death Mage out of sight. I know what I'm doing, of that you can be sure."

"You do have a point," the Second Seat acknowledged, "but are you sure that you yourself are capable of such a change in your operating procedures?"

"Just because I'm used to eliminating all opposition to us doesn't mean I'm not prepared for a search-and-capture operation," the Phantom replied. "There's no doubt in my mind that my resources and I can capture the Death Mage intact and among the living. Just give me the word and before the month is out, I will have the key to all our ambitions."

"A month?!" Hierarchy sputtered.

"We've waited thousands of years for this, Fourth Seat," the Phantom said. "One more month is not going to be that much of a matter. What say you, Second Seat?"

The Second Seat remained quiet, mulling over everything that he had heard. The suspense among the other Seats rose steadily as they waited for the second-in-command to give his verdict.

"Very well," the Second Seat finally said. "We will leave this matter in your hands, Sixth Seat. Do not fail or you know the penalty."

"Of course," the Phantom acknowledged but all could hear the glee in his voice.

"Remember gentlemen, our time is quickly approaching," the Second Seat continued, standing up from his seat. "Once we have the Death Mage in our power, there will be no force on Earth or in the Colonies that will be able to stand in the way of The Collective. The world and all it stands for will soon be ours!"

---

He strolled down the corridors at a quick pace, his brown trench coat flapping behind him like a cape.

The meeting had gone better than he had planned. Now that he was in charge of retrieving the mythical Death Mage, he was just one step closer to his goal. The codename Phantom was a very apt name for him and like one; he would snatch his prize before anyone noticed he had.

And of course, there was the bonus of pissing off LeDoux and lording over Jason Ciliars like the puissant that he was. The boy was too immature for this work, in his opinion, and shouldn't have been chosen to get the mage in the first place.

Turning sharply, he entered his temporary private quarters in the bastion that was The Collective's stronghold. He hadn't taken a few steps when he came to a halt, his eyes narrowed on a form that sprawled out lazily on a couch.

The person slowly looked at him and gave a lazy grin. "You look happy. Things go your way?"

"The matters of the council are above you," the Phantom retorted, heading towards a nearby desk. There were arrangements that needed to be made…

The other man, used to the Phantom, simply shrugged and stood up, stretching his arms up high above his head and showing off his much taller body. Combing his long fingers through black bangs that were mismatched with the rest of his silver-colored spiky hair, the pale subordinate moved to sit on the edge of the desk, sexuality and sensuality reeking from his every movement.

He leaned towards the Phantom purposely, letting his shadow fall over the averaged height, brown haired man who didn't even look up to give him the time of day.

"Janus," he whined playfully, hoping to get the smaller man to look him dead in his pitch black eyes. "Why aren't you paying attention to me?"

Janus, as he was called, suddenly snapped his head up and glared into his subordinate's eyes with his heterochromic pair. They were of two different colors, the right eye brown and the left eye green, and both displayed a different facet of their bearer's ire. The staring contest didn't last a minute as the taller man sighed mournfully and gave up.

"You're no fun," he pouted.

"I have no time for your games, Morrigu," Janus snapped. "And would it behoove you to actually do what I tell you to without fucking everything up?"

"Ooh, did I just upset the great Janus Xavien, scourge of the Pacifists' underbelly?" Morrigu mocked.

It was a bright flash that occurred and Morrigu found himself on the other side of the room, slammed against the wall. The visible aura of magical energy soon faded away but the danger was not abetted yet. More or less a conditional pardon was in play that was all.

"Ooh, so you still like it kinky?" Morrigu teased. "I'm ready whenever you are."

"And I am no way that inclined," Janus Xavien snapped, his glare freezing the other in his tracks. "There are so much more important matters to deal with, you twit."

"Yes, yes, the Death Mage," Morrigu sighed as he plopped back down on the couch he had been using earlier. "It's not like you are in charge of finding him. What's it matter to you? They have Jason looking for him."

"Not anymore," Xavien replied, smirking wickedly. "As of now, I am in charge of the operation."

"Wow, so you did it?" Morrigu said in wonder.

"Once again you doubt my abilities," Xavien said lightly, looking down at his desk and checking through some papers. He knew the contact information was here somewhere…

"So I guess I get to meet him now, eh?" Morrigu asked, his voice deepening as it became husky with lust.

Xavien, however, was quick to respond. "No. I will not have you getting near the mage anytime soon. I know what you'd do with him but I need him pure, untainted. You'll be staying close where I can keep an eye on you."

"You say that every time," Morrigu replied, his voice returning to its lighter inflection. "We both know I'll be back in the field in no time anyway."

"Either you shut up now or I'll make sure you can never talk again," Xavien snapped. "I have work to do and people to contact."

"Let me guess, the ol' fashion bounty hunter gig," Morrigu scoffed. "That always works, doesn't it," he added sarcastically.

"No, I was thinking more of a specialist this time around," Xavien replied, his heterochromic eyes glowing malevolently as he found what he was looking for. "But first, we need some…volunteers."

"Volunteers?" Morrigu repeated, looking confused.

---

A figure slowly backed away from the door where the two men within plotted. He needed to be quiet, careful, and above all else, stealthy if he hoped to get away without attracting notice. So much rested on his shoulders now and he couldn't allow himself to get caught.

Down through the dark corridors he scuttled, quickly finding his safe abode, clutching a few papers against his chest as if they held his very soul in them. They might as well have since the information they possessed was nearly priceless. It wasn't easy getting his hands on them but he wouldn't be much if he wasn't good at getting his hands on what he wasn't suppose to touch, now was he?

Here, though, was the critical moment; so far he hadn't been found out but he still got incredibly high strung. He could only hope that the information he held would get to his contact safely.

The fate of their world depended on it.

---

"So what's the big news, Amelia?" Deborah Winner asked as she entered the study, closing the door behind her with the flick of a finger.

Needless to say, Deborah took her applications of magic seriously.

"Our mole just sent this over," the taller blonde known as Amelia Winner answered, adjusting the glasses over her brown eyes as she studied a printed image. "He's starting to pay off; he actually managed to get his hands on what our missing charge is suppose to look like."

"He _what_?!" Deborah gasped as she hurried over to her sister's side and bored her eyes into the image. "Huh, so _that's_ what he looks like. The Death Mage."

"Better send this on to Quatre," Amelia said. "He's better at finding people than we are. Now that we have a face, it shouldn't take too long now."

"Guess I'll have to do that now, huh?" Deborah groused as she held the printed image in her hand. "Doesn't look like much, does he? I was really hoping it would be a girl…"

"Hey, he kinda looks like one if it helps," Amelia shrugged. "Plus, those eyes of his; so killer!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Deborah sighed as she left.

---

Quatre had to admit that sometimes his friends' methods of obtaining witnesses were a bit extreme and he found himself pitying this Ernest Velming as the poor man faced the full blunt force that was Heero Yuy.

Despite raising claims of "police brutality" and so on, he was instantly silenced when Heero turned his patented death glare on him. If the blond Winner recalled correctly, the only people who were immune to the glare were just him and the other pilots. Then again, he had never said they were normal to begin with.

Still this Ernest Velming wasn't precisely a witness as he was a lead. Sure he may have just arrived at that mall just as they did but he had recognized his stolen motorcycle and that was all Heero himself needed to apprehend him. From there, it was interrogation time as the Japanese youth took charge and squeezed every little bit of information about his stolen motorcycle.

The only reason why Trowa was in the same room as the ex-pilot and the frightened man was to prevent Heero from going overboard as well as prevent anymore illegalities from occurring. They were pushing it already and Heero's stunt was shattering the thin ice they were standing on.

Better hurry up, he mused. Once Une got word of this, they were all going to be in hot water and not the enjoyable kind either.

Despite it all, Ernest Velming was proving to be a piss poor excuse for a lead as he couldn't recall the license plate on his motorcycle correctly. It probably didn't help that Heero was still glaring at him but even now Quatre was finding his saintly patience to be coming to an end. He was sure that if this guy didn't start paying off soon, he was going to take his shot at him and while Heero could only promise pain, Quatre would be able to promise things worse than death.

Too bad Duo wasn't here. If he hadn't been the subject of their frantic search, he was positive their braided friend could have had this guy "singing like a canary." He was a people person like that.

Then he felt it. One moment he was fine, staring through a one-way mirror with Wufei right beside him, the next all his empathetic abilities felt as if some oppressive weight was crushing them against the floor. His hand shot straight up to clench his chest just over where his heart was and he was having trouble staying on his feet. However, he wasn't a Gundam pilot for nothing and he managed to remain standing even though his knees were bent.

Wufei noticed his sudden action and peeled his attention away from the pathetic excuse for an interrogation to try and come to his aid, steadying the blond by holding him by his shoulders.

Quatre was unaware of anything around him as he found that he couldn't ignore the oppressive weight that had descended upon him. What was causing this and why was it happening now? He felt as if he was approaching Death's door and was about to ring the doorbell when it began to ease off him though not completely.

Slowly his senses returned to him, surprising him since he had been unaware that he had lost them. Wufei's voice was managing to penetrate his hearing, his words demanding to know if he was alright but for once, the blond Winner wasn't paying attention.

For years he had been warned about this, trained and prepared for it even, but he still had been overwhelmed by it. While there was a heady thrill of anticipation he felt, there was also the lump of dread that balled up in his gut.

Without saying anything, he jerked away from Wufei and rushed down to the nearest parking garage.

---

It was truly accidental that he had Heero's car keys on him. After leaving the mall, Heero had driven like crazy, more than likely scarring their lead's psyche further, forcing the blond ex-pilot to confiscate his keys upon arrival at Preventers Headquarters.

At this point, the only person who knew he was gone was Wufei but that wasn't important as he had taken Heero's car and broken a few traffic laws in order to get to the source of the oppressive force from earlier. By now it had vanished altogether but that still didn't mean that there wasn't some residue left behind.

Arriving at the abandoned medical center, he took in the sight of the destruction impassively, noting the sight of a single tire track that had been skidded into nearby. Their mysterious motorcyclist had obviously been here. However, there was also the presence of a destroyed truck and a few dead bodies lying around.

One glance at them and he knew to whom they belonged to. The earlier sense of dread was building up quickly as all the facts he had gathered together since this morning were starting to add up. He wanted to deny it all, refuse to accept what he was slowly beginning to comprehend.

Eventually he came upon the sight of a massacre and his despair increased exponentially. The residue of the force just covered everything and the mangled bodies littered the floor, decomposing into ash slowly but surely as the magic that had once been contained in them devoured the soulless husks. Soon there would be no sign that anything had even occurred here outside of the large stains of splattered blood.

Perhaps he was just being mistaken. Perhaps it was someone else and not who he thought it was who was responsible for this.

Then he received the message from Deborah, information passed on from one Winner heart to another, a secret code that no outsider would be able to crack. It would be safe to say that the Winner Family was truly a family that was connected to one another by their hearts. His inhuman ability of empathy read the message and translated it to his brain, the process causing him to close his eyes so that he could concentrate on it.

Huh, seems like their spy was paying off. He actually got his hands onto some useful information: the identity of the fabled Death Mage. It was unfortunate that The Collective also knew but perhaps they could actually do something about it and uphold their ancestral duty.

Then the image of the Death Mage flashed into his mind and he felt as if the whole world was breaking apart.

This…this confirmed his growing fears. He had desperately hoped that he had been wrong but apparently denial wasn't just a river in Egypt.

And yet in so many ways it made sense. According to what he knew, the Death Mage was bestowed his or her powers by Death itself and that entity itself would do whatever it took to preserve its chosen. No matter what position he had been placed in, the option of dying had always been removed or swiped away. That had also included others who happened to be around him during those moments.

And that nickname of his that he constantly called himself. Now that he thought about it, it was a neon sign telling him what he only now understood.

Duo Maxwell was the Death Mage.

That God of Death name had been a huge giveaway.

All this time he and his family had been searching for Duo and Duo had been right underneath his nose the entire time. If he had been as in tuned with his empathy as his father had been, he should have been able to pick up those dark energies that most certainly were generated from his braided friend.

But they had to be in the middle of a war where death was literally everywhere, masking those energies from him.

It probably didn't hurt to mention that the one-month period that he had spent with Duo after Heero's self-destruct in Siberia and that he had had ample opportunity to pick up on that fact. Why had he been so blind? His sisters were never going to let him hear the end of this!

"Winner! What is all _this_?"

Quatre, not expecting company, startled and spun around his hand held up in the air and ready to shoot down his unexpected guest…without a firearm in his hand…

Before him stood one irate Chinaman who actually still had his gun on him and was aiming it at the blond. However, seeing as how the blond ex-pilot was unarmed, he pointed the gun barrel up towards the roof so that he didn't accidentally harm his friend. Otherwise, he glared at the other, the expression clearly saying that he wanted some sort of explanation.

Quatre sighed, knowing he couldn't give the one that Wufei wanted to hear, at least not now. The time for explanations had no choice but to wait seeing as how there were more important things to do, such as finding Duo before anything else bad happened to him.

"I swear, Wufei, that I'll tell you everything but right now is not the best time," he said, marching towards and past his Asian friend at a brisk pace. "Things have just gotten more complicated and dangerous and we need to move fast while we still can."

"What are you going on about?" Wufei demanded as he put away his gun and hurried after him. "Do you know anything about what is happening?"

"I have an idea," Quatre answered, purposely omitting a few facts. Exiting the abandoned building, he headed for the single tire track and crouched down to get closer to it. "You have an idea of what this is?"

Wufei's eyes widened slightly. "There was a similar mark outside Duo's apartment," he said.

"And another one from the motorcycle that left the mall," Quatre added. "It's obvious that the same person has been at each location. Guess I'll have to make Mr. Velming remember his information a little bit better."

"Winner!" Wufei exclaimed exasperatedly. "You know something about what's going on. What is it?"

"Not until we find Duo first," Quatre stated, the tone of his voice clearly saying that he would not be argued with. "He's in the eye of the storm and he needs our help. We'll find out Velming's bike's information and tap into that homing device that every vehicle should have."

"And with that we should find Duo," Wufei finished, his eyes not leaving Quatre as the blond stood back up.

"Wherever our mysterious rider is, Duo is bound to be close by," Quatre agreed. "What say we actually do something and find our missing friend?"


	10. One Braided Fool Found

Author's Note: Big thanks to windwraith for adding her two cents in the last chapter but more people. Reviews are like drugs and we get so addicted so easily. Just a small comment, tell both KO and I how we're doing, etcetera. Hopefully the Christmas spirit hasn't left everyone yet; it's better to give than receive.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

One Braided Fool Found

North Sanc Harbor that was where they had fled. Looking at the place, Duo couldn't help but feel that this place was suppose to be the scene of some action movie. Yeah, there should be some sort of battleship docked right there and some missiles with nerve gas set up all over the place. He was letting his imagination go wild again, he supposed, as he and Solo ducked into the nearest warehouse, motorcycle and all.

Crates and storage units were packed all over the place and Duo found himself feeling comfortable with it all. There were places to hide around should they be attacked and it had the musky feel that heavy equipment had been about, something that it had in common with a mechanic's garage.

After taking out a set of lock picks hidden in his braid, he picked the lock to one of the offices in the back and led the way into it as Solo parked their ride up against the wall outside of it. The braided one collapsed onto the small couch, resting his head against one of the furniture's arms and dangling his legs off the other one. Staring straight above at the ceiling, he glanced at a decorative mirror that had been hung on the wall nearby and Duo found himself staring into it, studying his reflection.

What had happen to him? Just yesterday at about the same time he had been full of life and healthy looking. Now he looked like he had been through years of hardships, what with the way his eyes looking sunken, his hair lacking luster, and his face looking taunt. He was a freaking zombie man.

Yet there were no signs of the jokester that he played as when with company. If anything, he kinda resembled the streetrat that he had been long before he had become a pilot and just a little before entering the Maxwell Church Orphanage. He looked haunted and yet it was the closest to his real self that he had seen in years. Instead of the mask he had always worn, he could see through the gaping cracks at it to see the little streetrat still in there, hiding from the world as he had been taught.

As he continued to gaze at himself, Solo entered the office and dragged the chair from behind the desk over so that he could sit next to the couch. The blond could see the vacant look on the younger's face but he wasn't completely bothered by it. He had had the same expression before on his own when he was growing up on the streets. Hell, all streetrats had that look at some point or another.

"You alright, Kid?" he asked, resting a hand on Duo's arm.

Feeling someone touching him, Duo immediately reacted, grabbing an unsuspecting wrist in a vice-like grip and twisting it somewhat, his other hand digging around for the gun that he no longer had on his person.

"Goddamn it Duo, it's me!" he heard Solo squeal as the blond was standing over him, a look of pain on his face

Blinking blearily, Duo realized just where he was and he released the blond's wrists. "Sorry," he muttered. "Force of habit."

"I'll say," Solo muttered as he rubbed his strained wrist. "You not trust me or something?"

"It's not that," the braided one sighed. "That was just a little something I picked up during the wars. Nothing against you personally but when you have an entire army after your head and everyone around you can be a potential enemy, you kinda get some sort of paranoia ingrained into you. Ya get me?"

"I guess," Solo sighed, sitting back down into his seat. "But ya know," the blond added, trying to lift the awkward silence that had sprung up between them. "I'm here now. Ya don't have ta be paranoid anymore. I'll protect ya, just like da old days."

"Hopefully not," Duo replied dryly, his newly colored violet eyes staring straight up into the blond's intense green. "If I remember correctly, you fucking died on me, came back to life, and studied magic back in the old days."

"Fine then, we'll make new ones," Solo retorted, mock-glaring down at him, bringing a small chuckle out of the braided one. "Just so ya know, I won't be leaving ya again. I'll always be there, this time."

Falling into silence again, this time a companionable one, Duo resumed his staring match with his own reflection, taking in his new eyes. They weren't bad looking, he supposed. He could learn to like them.

It just popped out of him and he wasn't quite aware that he had been speaking but what came out of his mouth all of a sudden was, "Why is this happening?"

"Huh?" was Solo's oh so eloquent reply as he stared dumbly at him.

"Why's all this shit happening?" Duo clarified. "Why now? Why to me?"

Solo's facial features softened. "I don't know what ta tell ya," he answered. "Hell, I don't even know what's happening or why it's you goin' through it. It's all fucked up, Kid. All fucked up."

Duo sighed. He knew better than to ask Solo about something neither of them had a clue about. Yet he couldn't help but feel so frustrated at it all. Hadn't he suffered enough already? The temporary loss of his best friend, the destruction of the Church, his training to become a killer, two fucking wars and a revolution on top of it all and the powers that be _still_ weren't satisfied with tormenting him? It just wasn't fair! What had he ever done to deserve this?

He felt himself suddenly being pulled up off the couch and pressed up against a firm body that was embracing him tightly with two strong arms. He tensed up for a moment before forcing his body to relax and accepted the small amount of comfort that the blond was trying to give to him.

Oddly enough, it seemed as if all these problems were so far away all of a sudden, as if they were so distant that they couldn't affect him anymore. The heat generated from Solo's body lulled him into a calm, collected state and he actually let his guard down completely as he accepted what was being offered to him.

Damn, he hadn't done that in a long, long time, not since Sister Helen would hold him after he had come out of a fight with some of the other orphans and other street kids. And if he thought about it hard enough, he knew that whenever Solo was at his side, barely even touching him, he would be able to relax enough to actually fall asleep, even if he was still standing on his own two feet.

The more things changed, the more they stayed the same…

Solo, meanwhile, was filled with an unexpected giddiness as he held on tightly to his dear friend. Looked as if he hadn't gotten his fill from last night; he had the urge to just hold on tightly to Duo and never let him go.

It would be a lie to say he wasn't surprised, though. Duo's body was as hard as a rock despite his thin form. His Kid had built up some muscle it seemed and all of it was as hard as steel. What had happened to him the past decade or so? He wasn't that bone thin brat he had known all his life, all soft and whatnot. There wasn't an ounce of fat there, he bet, and it made the blond want to get a more in depth look at what his old protégé had become without his guidance.

But he was content with just holding him like this, like they were still those little kids. Even the stench from bad hygiene was even there…wait that's right; Duo hadn't taken a shower in perhaps a couple days. Chasing down a bad guy, getting attacked by Wolf, staying up practically all night with him, getting attacked by Wolf again and getting captured, transforming into a skull faced creature, and running away to hide out here hadn't left much time for either of them to take a nice, hot shower.

Funny, a decade ago he wouldn't have cared about being clean and now here he was wrinkling his nose from a couple days' worth of grime. Despite that, he was able to smell out a scent that wasn't unpleasant, one that instilled within him a sense that they were no longer in danger.

Truly, Duo had his way of wriggling into his heart. He never wanted him out of his sight again, safe away from those that were trying to harm him. He would be damned if he let Duo get hurt again and if he did, then those responsible were going to pay dearly.

With a gentle squeeze, he snuggled back into the chair he was sitting on, almost falling off into a doze. The whole world could go fuck itself, he had the person closest to his heart with him right now and he wasn't planning on anything changing that. What more could he want?

…close to his heart…

Wait a minute…

Solo's eyes widened. That bastard! He knew! Adrian, that son of a bitch, had known about this! Protect that which is closest to his heart indeed, that asshole had…known…

His eyes widened further; was this why he was dead? Because he had known that Duo was suppose to have these weird powers? Then that would mean…that fucker was still using him, even beyond the grave! That tricky bastard, he gets the last laugh once again! And he had somehow known how much he had valued the Kid, Duo. Argh, if that rat asshole weren't dead, he'd kill that son of a bitch!

Hey, didn't he mention something else? Beware, beware…something. Oh wait, now he had it! Beware…the Collectors! No wait, that didn't sound right… No, it was the Collabs! Wait, that wasn't it either… The Collection?

Whatever they called themselves, Adrian had also known that the Collection guys were also after Duo or they were going to be. That must be to whom that Wolf guy belonged to. But if those guys were able to find Adrian, then how long was it going to take them to find the two of them here in this building?

He felt Duo stiffen in his arms as the sound of a couple cars were heard pulling up to the warehouse, car doors slamming closed.

They had been found.

---

The four pilots exited Preventers HQ at a fast clip, their demeanors serious as they radiated the presence of men on a mission.

After returning to the building, Quatre had taken over the interview with Ernest Velming, getting his license plate numbers after reducing him to a blubbering blob of human effluence. Leaving him in the interrogation room for someone else to clean up, they had accessed the database for all registered vehicles and located the tracking device that had been installed into the stolen motorcycle as a security measure.

Thank God for putting that last bit into law; it made tracking down stolen vehicles so much easier.

And now they were making their getaway before Une got her hands on them. It wasn't that they were intimidated by her, no. They just didn't…want to get…delayed, that's it, they didn't want to get delayed from reaching Duo! At least they hoped that they were heading towards where their missing comrade was. It would be such a letdown should they find the stolen motorcycle and not Duo.

This time around, they were taking two cars. One had three of them piled in while the other had Heero who was just too impatient to wait for the others to catch up.

As the Japanese ex-pilot sped off, Quatre had just said, "Let him go. I know a shortcut to the port. We'll get there before Heero does or just as he does."

"How do you know there's a shortcut?" Trowa had asked as he had climbed into the back of Wufei's car.

"This isn't the first time I've been to Sanc," Quatre had replied grimly. "I've been here enough times to know the streets pretty well despite not living here."

Wufei, preferring not to waste any more time with talk had started the car and was on his way out of the parking garage.

As it turned out, Quatre had been more than right about that shortcut. They had arrived at the northern end of the Sanc port and there was no sign of destruction. Heero either wasn't here yet or had decided that going in guns blazing wasn't going to be the best idea here.

Entering the port at a sedate pace, keeping their eyes open for any sign of a motorcycle or Duo, they had been at their search for a good three minutes when Heero finally pulled in, racing at his insane speeds only to put on the brakes to avoid smashing into the back of them. It was little surprise that Wufei, like most men, was overprotective of his car and just the slightest scratch on it would have sent him into a rant, much like the kind he would go into had it been his Gundam instead of an automobile.

And yes, they had all learned that the hard way and surprisingly it hadn't been Duo's fault that one time. It had been Heero so that would explain why he was suddenly being uncharacteristically careful as he drove impatiently behind them at the same sedate speed.

Heero meanwhile tapped his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel, contemplating. Not even for a second did it occur to him that he was being irrational in his behavior. All he was concerned about was that soon he would be able to know if Duo was ok and that he wasn't going to have to kill anyone… At least not yet.

Mainly ignoring their colleague, the remaining three pilots scanned over their surroundings, searching for just one thing out of the ordinary. When nothing was found instantly, Quatre glanced at the GPS and expanded the map feature on it. Having gotten a good look at where exactly the tracer reported the stolen motorcycle to be, he piped up and had them pick up their speed.

Pulling up to a warehouse, the blond ex-pilot had announced that this seemed like the best place to start and if they knew Duo, he would more than likely be inside the building instead of lurking outside of it.

There was still no sign of the motorcycle though so it looked like they were going to have to inspect their surroundings a bit closer.

Heero screeched to a halt beside them and had barely turned off his car as he got out, a gun in hand and his eyes trained on the entrance to the warehouse before them. "It's open," he stated, referring to the large door that they could see now was cracked open slightly.

Either someone had purposely left it like that or had forgotten to close it all the way. Or Duo left it like that as a sign to them. Pulling out their own guns just in case, they communicated with their eyes and got into position in front of the door, Heero taking the lead.

With one hand, the Japanese youth pushed the door open, sliding it down and slipping into the widened entrance in less than a few seconds. Just as quietly, the other three slipped in as well, Heero shutting the door behind them so as to at least delay anyone trying to get in or escape.

They found themselves in front of a clutter of storage containers and crates full of unknown contents and it was almost telepathic how all four of them agreed to split up with just the barest glances at one another.

Muscles tense, Quatre crept further into the warehouse, eyes darting to and fro, trying to pick out anything out of the ordinary. It was just like old times when he and another of the pilots, who just happened to be on the same mission as him, would be infiltrating an OZ or Alliance base with the intention of demolishing it before finishing the job with their Gundams and a little back up from the Muagunacs.

Yet he could feel his empathetic powers in his chest telling him that he was getting close, oh so close to their wayward friend. Tightening his grip on his gun, he peeked out from around a crate just as he was pulled out from hiding by an iron grip.

He felt a solid force press up against his back but due to the skills he had developed during his pilot training, he was already reacting as he threw an elbow back into his assaulter's gut and grabbed hold of the arm that had wrapped around his chest. Throwing himself forward, he threw his attacker overhead but apparently whoever it was had some skill as well as he had twisted his body to land on his feet and get his head and neck into a makeshift choke hold.

He could smell the stench of body odor emitting from the attacker's armpit, as if they hadn't cleaned themselves in a week or so and he did his best to block out the smell as he tried to get out of the hold only for his attacker to release him himself and back away with a hiss of "Quatre?!"

Wait a minute, why did that voice sound so familiar?

Backing away and standing upright, Quatre was able to get a good look at who had assaulted him only to see the one and only Duo Maxwell who looked like he had been to Hell and back staring right at him with an expression of shock.

"Duo!" he exclaimed as he jumped at his friend wrapping him into a tight bear hug. That embrace, however, was short lived as he found himself being forced back by some very icky looking shadows that now were restraining him. It didn't take him long to figure out there was a manipulator nearby.

"Hey!" Duo growled as he literally batted the shadows away, the amazing part being that the shadows were actually moving away from him. "That ain't no way to treat a friend!"

"They all friends then?" a foreign, accented voice spoke, one that had Quatre snapping his head to a side to find a strange blond standing nearby looking at him suspiciously.

Looking slightly behind him, Quatre could see both Wufei and part of Heero also being restrained by the shadows, both of them struggling with all their might and without success to escape.

"I'm guessing Trowa's nearby, huh?" Duo sighed. "Let'um go Solo, they aren't trying to kill us. 'Least I think they aren't."

When Duo looked at him uncertainly, asking a silent question, it was Quatre's turn to sigh as he nodded his head. With that, Duo turned back to stare down the other blond who Quatre guessed to be "Solo."

"Fine," Solo grumbled as he dispelled the shadows and released the other pilots.

It was hardly a second that passed when Heero was right next to them, aiming his gun straight at the back of Solo's head, daring him to make a move. Wufei approached them warily while Trowa came out of hiding and took his place next to the shorter blond, their guns still out but not being pointed at a certain tall blond.

Solo merely raised an eyebrow at this while Duo shook his head in dismay, stomping his way over towards the taller blond and ordering Heero to put his gun down. Quatre watched this with confusion, keeping one eye on this Solo. Who was this guy and why did Duo seem to know him?

"Good to see you're okay, Duo," Trowa spoke up unexpectedly. The suddenness startled Quatre but he regained his composure as he heartily agreed.

Eyeing them, Duo asked, "You guys ain't mad? I'd have called but I lost my cell and forgot your numbers, so…"

"It's all right Duo," Quatre interrupted, smiling gently at his friend. "These things happen. We're just glad you're safe."

Solo snorted rudely at that for some reason but Duo didn't seem to pay it any mind.

"Well, if you couldn't contact us, why didn't you just come to one of us?" Wufei demanded, huffing in exasperation. "It would have saved us a lot of time and effort."

"I was!" Duo exclaimed. "It's just we got attacked and all."

"Who attacked you?" Heero suddenly cut in, looking less friendly than before.

"Whoa there, Heero, no need to go on the offensive," Duo said, trying to calm the other down. "Those guys are dead so they can't hurt anyone anymore, 'kay?"

Heero's eyes bored into Duo and Quatre held his breath, hoping their mutual companion wouldn't do anything rash. Finally, Heero nodded and lowered his gun yet not putting it away like Trowa and Wufei had. Speaking of Wufei, the Chinese youth was giving him a look for some reason…oh, yeah that.

Wanting to put it off, the blond grasped onto the first topic he thought that might be able to distract even Wufei from what he wanted to know. Thankfully, that topic was standing right next to Duo though his eyes were glued onto Heero, watching him like a hawk.

"Who's your friend, Duo?" he asked, a hint of desperation in his voice that he winced at, hoping no one had picked up on it. "I don't believe we've met before."

Duo blinked before catching on to what he was asking. "Sorry about that. Guys, this here is Solo," he introduced and did the blond's mind deceive him but was there a bit of admiration in Duo's voice? Looked like Heero also picked up on it too as he was now having a staring contest with Solo, his grip on his gun tightening.

This didn't bode well.

Duo continued on, seemingly unaware of the sudden tension between Solo and Heero. "He may not look like much but he's been looking out for me for a long time. And he grows on ya, like a fungus."

"Kid, why'd ya have ta say it like that?" Solo said, looking away from Heero and pouting at his shorter friend, much to the other's amusement, Heero not included as he continued to glare at the blond. "And why are ya talkin' 'bout me like I'm not here? I'm hurt. Really."

"You'll get over it," Duo muttered, bringing an amused smile to Quatre's face. That little exchange was more than enough for the blond to know that these two had a history together.

"I don't think I will," Solo sniffed, his accent coloring his voice. "You're givin' my name to every hillbilly we meet. Who are these guys, Duo?"

Okay, that hillbilly comment was a bit much and Quatre found that he wasn't the only one that bristled at that.

Duo sighed, also seeing the reactions. "Solo, 'member when I told ya I was a pilot? Well, these guys are the other four." Well that was a bit of a surprise; Duo actually trusted this guy enough with something as…sensitive as that? Gesturing towards him, Duo continued with the introductions, "The guy with the bang is Trowa Barton and the other who kinda looks like your cousin is Quatre."

Both of the blonds blinked at that. Quatre, though, now that he was really looking at Solo, had to agree with Duo a tiny bit. There were some strong features that Solo possessed that did hint a bit at aristocracy, especially that chin…

"Behind you with the gun is my…other best friend, Heero Yuy," Duo said, "and right over there is Chang Wufei, Wuffers for short."

"It's Wufei, Maxwell!" Wufei nearly bellowed.

Solo looked completely confused, as if he had no idea what was going on. It was…comical to say the least.

"Duo? Think ya can clear something up for me?" the blond asked as he placed a hand on Duo's shoulder.

To Quatre's surprise, Heero actually raised his gun up and pointed it straight at Solo. Knowing that Heero usually had a good reason to do something like that but further inspection of Solo revealed nothing; not even Trowa and Wufei reacted as offensively as Heero did and both had different angles of view on the blond.

Duo just sighed and simply gave Heero a look of disappointment as Solo eyed the other's gun dispassionately as if he wasn't intimidated by it. But still the question remained: why was Heero pointing his gun at Solo, especially since the guy hadn't presented them any reason to treat him hostilely.

Rolling his eyes, Solo summoned a shadow that rose from the floor and snapped up Heero's gun, devouring the weapon with a crunch. Heero backed away, wide-eyed as he scrambled to reach for his other gun only to be caught again in a tangle of shadows that sprang up.

"That'll teach ya ta point a gun at me," Solo declared, watching Heero with amusement and heedless of the other three pilots who were aiming their guns back at him.

"Solo, let him go," Duo said listlessly. "And Heero, calm the fuck down already. He wasn't hurting me any. And guys, you can put them up now."

That seemed to diffuse the whole mess as Solo simply shrugged and dispelled his spell while Heero never took his eyes off the other.

Then Quatre's bubble was pierced once again as Wufei spoke up. "Winner, care to explain?"

"What?" the blond asked, trying to look innocent but knowing quite well what the other was referring to.

"Don't give me that look," Wufei snapped, confusing the others. "You know what's going on here. I followed you to that clinic, remember? You know what's going on."

"What's he talking about, Q?" Duo butted in, looking at the blond queerly. "Don't tell me you have something to do with those assholes."

Well this was just great. Everyone was now looking at him, demanding answers that he wholeheartedly didn't want to give…but had no choice but to. Damn Wufei and his one-track mind!

Looks like he had no choice, not only was Heero starting to glare at him but he had Trowa's more passive yet more pointed look that would make even a grown man break down and beg for mercy. Some friends he had, right? Well, guess he had no place to start but the beginning.

"You know about my family, right?" he began, sighing. This was like pulling teeth except more painful.

"Rich as hell and respected as shit, why?" Duo answered the rhetorical question, much to his chagrin.

"Well, the Winner family line is old, extremely old," he explained. "However, we aren't just some nobles or those of wealth with too much time on our hands; our family has had a slightly different purpose that you are not aware of."

"And that is?" Trowa asked.

"Protecting the Death Mage," he answered simply and knew he had lost everyone at that point due to the looks they were giving him.

"Wait," Solo suddenly blurted out. "You know about _magic_?"

At this point the others looked as if they were beginning to doubt him but to the blond, that didn't matter. The only person who he needed to believe his story was Duo and he was staring at his friend in shock.

Nodding grimly, he continued, "More or less. That empathy ability that you know I have is a spell of magic that has been passed down through the generations of my family for over two thousand years. Its purpose was solely to be used as a tracking mechanism to find the next Death Mage, Death's chosen soul. From there we then proceed to protect whoever is chosen while teaching them how to harness their powers. As of right now, Duo, you are the Death Mage.

"Unfortunately, not everyone is noble. You see, for most of human history there has been an organization of magic users who have been trying to get their hands on a Death Mage. My family has had to deal with them all the while trying to protect our charges before they could be used as a weapon of destruction for these men.

"They are The Collective and there is no doubt in my mind that they are the people who are after you Duo. They are ruthless, relentless, and powerful."

It looked as if a light clicked on in Solo's head but Quatre ignored that in favor of Duo's response. His braided friend was drinking up every word he said, which was good. Less time having to convince him that what he was talking about was real.

"Winner, I hear the words that are coming out of your mouth but they aren't making any sense," Wufei said, frustration clearly audible.

Oh, he had forgotten about the others for a second.

"You guys may not believe me," he sighed, "but at this point in time, I only need Duo to believe me."

"And I believe ya," Duo said readily. "The past twenty-four hours…shit, I can't even begin to describe 'um! Besides, I've never had any reason not to believe ya. Huh, what a fine way to start a forced vacation, huh? I'm getting chased by a bunch of ancient maniacs who want to use me as a weapon. Great."

"Hey, at least ya got me," Solo said, laying his arm on the braided one's shoulder. "Those Collective guys can shove it up their asses. I ain't letting them touch a hair on your head."

Heero literally had a twitch going in his eye at this point. If it weren't for those shadows that the blond had at his control he'd be willing to kick his ass and then some. How dare he touch Duo like that? It didn't help that he felt completely out of his league with all of what Quatre was saying. There was no way in hell he was going to let this guy be around Duo without him being there as well.

"Agreed," Trowa said, reentering the conversation with a small smile on his face. "I may not have a clue as to what exactly is going on but I refuse to let these people use you."

"Barton! You believe all this?" Wufei gasped in disbelief.

Trowa shrugged. "It explains some of the things we've found. Remember what we found outside of Duo's apartment?"

It was Duo's turn to gasp now. "My car! Those guys broke my fucking Mustang!"

"And for that they've got to pay," Trowa agreed though you couldn't tell if he was just saying it to placate the other.

"What about you, Heero?" Quatre asked, looking to the last of them.

Heero looked stoic, just staring at Duo and how he just let the other blond drape himself all over him. Quatre could see something in those Prussian blue eyes and it didn't take him long to figure out what it was. Jealousy, possessiveness. Then it hit him. That must be why he pulled his gun out that second time. Damn it, he didn't need this right now.

"Hn," Heero grunted as he crossed his arms, eyes not leaving Duo for a second.

"Glad to know you're on board, Heero," Duo said, rolling his eyes. "So what now? We find where these assholes are hiding and show them whose boss or what?"

"It's not that simple," Quatre cut in hurriedly. "They would love for you to do something like that, especially since you aren't that skilled with your powers. For now, the best would be to hide out."

"Hide out until I can get better control?" Duo groused. "Got no choice, I guess."

That was when an idea struck Quatre. "Didn't you say you were on vacation?" he asked.

"I guess you could say that," Duo answered, looking away.

Quatre's smile widened. "Then there shouldn't be any reason why we shouldn't hide out in the lap of luxury, right?"


	11. No Rest for the Wicked

Author's Note: Huh, perhaps it was too much to hope for a little of that Christmas spirit. Oh well, guess that means that KO and I have more control over the fic and can do what we want, even if you guys don't like it. Want to have a say? Give a review and tell us how we're doing and how we can better improve. A little can go a long way. Have a Happy New Year and enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

No Rest for the Wicked

The beeping of the heart monitor was the only sign that the body was still alive. The body, however, remained comatose, unaware of the moving world about it as it lay in the hospital bed.

Truly, William Bryce had fallen far from being one of the most wanted men on Earth and the Colonies to a virtual vegetable, a coma ruling over his mind since its onset. Because he had yet to awaken from unconsciousness and the fact that the doctors themselves weren't paying much attention, it had taken over a day and a half for his coma to be diagnosed.

Your tax dollars at work here people.

It was needless to say that Bryce was completely unresponsive as he received a visitor during the late hours of the night when visitors were no longer allowed. This particular person, however, was above such petty rules and his business attire was a blatant fashion statement that emphasized his disregard for such trivial things.

Stopping before the comatose patient, two heterochromic eyes bored down into the vegetative man as if searching for something, anything really, that would justify him dropping everything he was doing to come all the way down here to visit this pathetic piece of living meat.

Apparently finding what he was looking for, Jauns Xavien placed a hand just over the unconscious Bryce's head and summoned the necessary energy he needed to use that rarely used healing spell that was literally a basic in any magical education. He hadn't used the spell in so long so it wasn't that much of a stretch to say that he took him a bit longer than most to actually cast and use the needed spell.

But that mattered not to the Sixth Seat of The Collective as his spell was successful at rejuvenating Bryce's damaged brain and bringing him back into reality.

Cold brown eyes shot open and Bryce began choking on the breathing equipment that had been placed in his throat. Seeing the fool struggle and nearly undo his hard work, Xavien hastily cast a freezing spell and proceeded to pull off most of the tubes and wires off the man's body.

"You know," Xavien began conversationally, "if I didn't need you, I wouldn't bother doing such menial work right now. However, there is a service that I require and you, my man, are just the person who can do it."

Calming down after figuring out just where he was, Bryce watched this strange man as he stood back from him, his different color eyes boring into him. As much as he wanted to speak, though, he found that his body was playing traitor and refused to cooperate or do anything for that matter.

"Sorry," Xavien said mockingly as he flicked a finger, dispelling the paralysis. "Forgot about that for a moment. Now, where were we?"

Taking a gasp of air on his own for the first time in almost two days, Bryce managed to muster the will to ask, "What do you want?"

Xavien blinked down at him before curving his lips into a smile. Yes, the straightforwardness of William Bryce was not that exaggerated. No time for games or anything… A pity, really…

"It's simple really, I need to ask a favor of you," he said, beginning to draw this man into his web. "Now before you answer, I believe that you will really want to help me. You see, this favor involves a certain individual who was responsible for your capture the other day. Do you remember him?"

Xavien couldn't help but smirk; seeing how hatred flashing in the other man's eyes was a definite sign that yes, he did remember. Sure technically he was comatose for the actual capture itself after slamming his head against that train exit but memory of just who was there was still in his head as if it had only happened a few minutes ago.

Hatred was so easy to manipulate.

"I think I'll take this job at no charge," Bryce said gruffly. "It's personal."

"Of course it is," Xavien said in an understanding tone. "But I don't think it'll be as easy as going up to him and shooting him in the head. This individual just happens to be one of the five Gundam pilots."

"Like that matters," Bryce huffed as he began pulling out the IV he was attached to. "He could be fucking invincible, he will _pay_ for my humiliation."

"Slow down there," Xavien said, grabbing Bryce's shoulder tightly. "Our mutual thorn in the side is not the same person you last saw him as. He's picked up a few…_lethal_ tricks of his own and is infinitely more dangerous than before."

"You're starting to annoy me," Bryce growled, glaring at the suited man. "I don't care if he can take down a Gundam with his bare hands, I'm going to kill that little snot if it's the last thing I do!"

"So you can stand up to this?" Xavien asked dryly as he held out a hand and formed a dark green orb of searing light. Bryce jumped back, nearly falling off the side of the bed as small green lightning bolts sparked out the orb, the nearby electrical equipment shorting out with sparks bursting out of them.

Seeing the fear in Bryce's eyes, Xavien chuckled. "If you think this is something to be excited about, the little tricks our little friend knows make this look like a parlor trick."

"What's to say it isn't?" Bryce demanded, regaining his composure.

In response, a small bolt escaped from the orb and scraped against the side of Bryce's face, leaving a swath of burned flesh in its wake as it struck the wall behind him, leaving a black scorch mark behind.

Fisting his hand, he dispelled the orb and took a seat on the hospital bed. "Does that answer your question?" he asked dryly. When he received a fearful nod, he continued, "That is but a small sample of what our little friend can do but I'm not going to put you out there with nothing to defend yourself with.

"I am willing to give you the gift of this power, this _magic_, to crush that boy and all who gets in your way. It will…even the odds, shall we say? So, are you still in or do you want an out?"

Bryce swallowed. It didn't take him long to come to a decision; in fact it was practically a no-brainer. He may not know why this man was telling him all this or why he was offering this strange power but he wasn't a man that looked a gift horse in the mouth. Perhaps there was a way he could make a more mass-produced product of this stuff. He'd be getting more customers out the wazoo and there would be no way the Preventers would be able to get close to him once he really knew how to use it.

Plus there was the added benefit of revenge. That in and of itself nearly sealed the deal.

"Alright," Bryce answered. "You have a deal."

---

The sun glared down on all that happened to be below it but that was okay when you were in the tropics. Warm air, clean skies, the clear blue ocean just to your right, it was indeed one of the more beautiful places Duo had ever found himself to be at.

Then again, since this was Quatre who was funding this little trip, he shouldn't have been so surprised. But it was smart really; what kind of evil organization bent on world domination would ever think to search for someone like him in such a beautiful setting? That was why Quatre had been their strategist during the wars and not him.

Of course, he wasn't alone here in this island paradise. Other than Solo who was sticking on him like that tacky Elmer's glue and Quatre who could do whatever the hell he wanted with all his money, the other three pilots had come with them. Maybe that had to do with some guy they had kidnapped and interrogated but he couldn't be too sure about this. He did not even blame them and he didn't make fun of them either; if he had thought Une had been peeved with him, it was nothing compared to the tongue lash she gave to them.

So forced vacations for all under the guise of suspension, him being the exception since he was already on paid vacation. Suckers!

So to sum it all up, here he was in an island paradise being paid to enjoy himself. Not bad for a former streetrat from L2, eh? Maybe now he could get a tan or something; being pale as a sheet had gotten old the first month after White Fang's defeat. So it was needless to say that he was actually looking forward to this hideaway.

One trip in a limo later, the ragtag group arrived at not another of the omnipresent Winner Mansions that seemed to be everywhere, like Starbucks, but a towering hotel that resembled a European Castle built in the Romantic Ear yet it was the color…pink. At this, Quatre received at least four raised eyebrows and curious looks. Of the group of seven, five being the pilots themselves and the other two being Solo and Trowa's fiancé Hannah, only three weren't looking at the billionaire and that included the billionaire himself.

The blond simply replied, "What? We don't have estates _everywhere_. Besides, a hotel is more incognito."

"This is 'incognito?'" Trowa asked gesturing to the antithesis of all things masculine.

"Who in their right minds would go to looking for a bunch of guys in a pink hotel?" Quatre countered back, not breaking a sweat as he started towards the front entrance and the lobby within.

Other than looks that bespoke of old inquires about the blond's tastes; the explanation was taken with at face value and nothing more was said on the subject.

With the exception of Quatre, the only one of them who was not perturbed by the sight of the ghastly pink was Hannah who looked like she was having a field day. The only reason she was here was because Trowa didn't want to vanish on her nor risk her being taken by their enemies and possibly killed just because she was not just his fiancé but a friend of Duo's. Quatre hadn't batted an eye at that and had allowed the female to accompany them but if you paid close attention to him, he wasn't happy about it. Money wasn't the issue; of course, it was something that the blond had been unwilling to speak about for some reason, agreeing only if she was kept in the dark about what was really going on.

It was a compromise that Trowa had accepted without hesitation.

After a lengthy stay in the lobby where Quatre confirmed their reservation, it was up into what turned out to be a two storey suite, one that had an incredible view of the Caribbean Sea and the pearly white sand of the beach.

The pilots weren't at all phase but the luxury they found themselves in but both Solo and Hannah were struck with awe and wonder. Neither had ever been in such a place before and both were content to just stand where they were to take in where their fortunes had led them.

Nonplus, Duo had looked around with a whistle, spotting a set of stairs that led to the second floor where some bedrooms undoubtedly lay. With a slight smirk, he suddenly yelled out, "Dibs!" and took off up the stairs.

If anything, that managed to catch everyone off guard but it would be Solo who recovered first with his narrowing eyes, understanding just what his braided friend was up to. With a quick, "Dibs on Duo's roomie," he took off up the stairs after Duo, nearly giddy with anticipation.

With the taller blond's exclamation, Heero also jerked out of his Duo-caused stupor and marched right after Solo. There was no way in hell he was going to let that idiot share a room with his best friend! Of all of them, only he deserved the right.

Sensing a "disturbance in the Force" as Duo would say, Quatre hurried after Heero. This was not what he had planned! If anything, he would have preferred to share a room with Duo so that he could teach his friend the little tricks to controlling his newfound powers, something that could be done in privacy and not cast any suspicion.

All that were left back in what was the living area of the suite, Trowa and Wufei both cast looks at one another. Was it just them or were they the only sane ones here?

---

It was time to put this upstart in his place one way or another. Heero was already plotting several ways he could mangle the idiot. If anyone deserved to be by Duo's side, it was him. Plus, there was no way in hell he was leaving this guy alone with his Duo and he wanted some real answers from Duo on just how the hell this guy knew him.

Already right behind Solo, he made a grab at the back of his shirt, pulling the blond back and behind him. "Think again moron," he stated as Solo stumbled a few paces behind him. Heero just gave a nonchalant 'hn' and followed the steps up after Duo, Solo regaining his balance in the meantime.

Solo glared up the stairs at his unexpected rival for Duo's attention, growling, "Oh hell no!" Taking control of the shadows with a spell, he pulled Heero's shadow out from under him, causing him to lose his footing and fall backwards. The unfortunate side to this was that Heero fell backwards onto him, causing both men to let out a simultaneous "oof."

Grumbling, Heero found he was starting to get really annoyed with this blond nutcase. This guy just didn't know when to quit, did he? Looked like he was going to have to take this matter a bit further. Both boys glaring daggers at each other, Heero threw his fist at Solo, ready to "knock some sense into that empty head of his" as Duo would say. Unfortunately, Solo was waiting for this and again used the shadows to lock Heero in place as he jumped him.

Snaking his arms around Heero, Solo grabbed the other in a headlock and chuckled deeply. "What now, little man?" he taunted.

Heero narrowed his eyes. He was not about to let this moron get the best of him and proceeded to show just that by throwing his head backwards, headbutting the blond with the back of his head. Looks like that magic that Quatre had been speaking about wasn't as strong or being used properly by this Solo, Heero thought to himself as he slipped out of the headlock. All the more for him as he spun around and shoved Solo to a side.

Dazed at first, Solo slammed into the wall and lost his balance and as a last resort, grabbed the back of Heero's jacket to try and steady himself. Because Heero had been in the midst of taking a step, he lost his balance as well and fell backwards, taking Solo with him.

Coming up from behind them, Quatre froze as the two young adults fell down the stairs and he was unable to get out of the way as the two plowed into him and now the three tumbled down the stairs to wind up in a pile of human limbs at the bottom.

There were moans and groans as the three lay there, attracting the attention of everyone else, including Duo who appeared at the top of the stairs to see what all the ruckus was about.

"You guys all right?" Duo called out as he hurried down the steps two at a time, jumping over the human pile-up nimbly. Pausing from the dull pain in his body, Heero observed Duo's movements, committing every motion the braided one made as he jumped over them and proceeded to help untangle them.

When Duo's hands rested on him, the Japanese youth couldn't help but feel a giddy warmth bubble up inside him. Duo was touching him! Oh how glorious…

"What happened here?" Duo asked worriedly as Trowa and Wufei came from behind him and proceeded to help the three fallen boys up silently. "Did someone trip or…?"

"Heero and Solo were acting like children on the stairs and fell down," Wufei deadpanned.

As if a switch had been turned off, suddenly all the sympathy in those lovely violet eyes vanished. Heero couldn't help but feel a chill run up his spine but it was something he easily quashed down. Wufei had just officially made it onto his "To Kill" list.

"He started it!" Solo whined as he dragged himself out of the pile.

"That's no excuse to…Quatre! Are you all right?!" Duo exclaimed, cutting off his reprimand of the larger blond in favor of coming to the aid of the smaller Quatre who had just been revealed when Solo's bulk had been removed.

Speaking of the smaller blond, Heero found himself involuntarily glaring at his old comrade. The blond was moaning pitifully and attracting all of Duo's attention towards him.

Unacceptable.

However, before he could do anything, he was suddenly dragged away by the stoic Trowa, who stopped him from doing anything rash with a warning glare from his visible eye.

"Hey, Wufei, Trowa? You think you guys can take care of those two geniuses?" Duo asked as he helped Quatre onto his feet. "Whoa there, Q, you're lookin' a bit woozy there," the braided one commented in concern. "You need to lie down or something?"

"Just an ice bag," the blond croaked. "I think the fall did a number on my head…"

"Right this way, Q-man," Duo said, leading the blond away from the stairs. "Let's see if we can't find that kitchen…"

Heero's eyes narrowed further; like hell he was about to let Quatre monopolize his Duo! Had it not been for his sharp eyes, he wouldn't have caught the sudden look Quatre had thrown at him and Solo; it was a small grin and a wink, one that expressively said that the blond wasn't as hurt as he was making himself out to be and was just playing it up so as to get Duo alone with him. As he was about to charge at his now ex-comrade, he was suddenly jerked back by the silent strength of Trowa's hands as the unibanged young man gave him a look of disapproval.

"That'll be enough there, Heero," Trowa said warningly. "Don't you think you've done enough already?"

The look he gave Trowa obviously said, "No."

"What's your intentions towards Duo?" the accented voice of Solo spoke up and if one were to look at the blond, they would see him cracking his knuckles while glaring at Heero.

"None of your business, idiot," he snapped. "Just keep out of my way."

As he got to his feet, pushing aside any help offered to him, he didn't hear Solo muttered, "Not with you lookin' at Duo ya asshole," as he stomped away.

---

"I have no idea what's gotten into those two," Duo muttered as he sat on a stool, leaning on his elbows as he stared ahead absently. Beside him, Quatre held an ice bag up to his head, attempting to use the chill to sooth the ache in his head.

He hadn't come out of that fall unscathed as _someone_ had landed on his head. He should probably count himself lucky that he didn't get a cracked skull or anything out of it. Right now, though, he was feeling a bit of the turmoil within his braided friend as the other puzzled over his two best friends' sudden out of character behavior.

This looked as good an opportunity to enter protector mode; he was suppose to be protecting Duo after all and he supposed that that also included would be suitors fighting each other over him.

It was obvious that at least Heero liked Duo; the Japanese pilot was not only protective of him but also giving Duo "the eyes" as it were. It was cute at times, amusing at others, but right now it just might prove to be an annoyance. This wasn't the Preventors' HQ where he had heard Heero followed the other like a puppy; they had some dangerous people after Duo and something as disruptive as what had happened earlier was going to really hurt them.

Then there was Solo, the latest enigma to this story. Who was he and why was he so attached to Duo? And how did Duo already seem to know him as if they had a past together? Hmm, Solo and Duo…a connection in the names perhaps? Well, whatever it was, Solo's sudden animosity towards Heero couldn't have come at a worse time.

Great, he made his headache worse. How else can this get any worse?

"Is it just me or are Solo and Heero not getting along with one another?" Duo asked innocently.

Damn it, now it got worse. God, the way Duo was looking at him so trustingly was just so…yeah, it reminded him of this one time of a puppy he had kicked before. Duo looked almost like that puppy did before he had kicked it. That had happened years ago, before he had ever run away from his family and met the Maguanacs.

"What makes you say that?" he asked neutrally, hoping to squeeze his way out of telling Duo that yes, his best friends hated one another's guts.

"I don't know but they didn't seem to get along back at HQ," Duo answered, slowly ticking off a few incidences on his fingers. "Then there was after the guys got back from Une's office; Heero seemed to be real nasty after that for some reason. Then there was this morning at the airport and the fact that Solo got singled out by security to go through a random probe and Heero was actually smiling right there. How'd I miss that? Then there was the plane and the way that Solo kept teasing Heero that he got the seat right next to me. I just had a window seat there and I did offer to switch with someone…"

"Yeah, I remember that," Quatre said, rolling his eyes.

"And now there was what happened by the stairs," Duo finished. "Heero was acting a bit strange and he was glaring a bit as well and Solo was…well, nothing was different about him there either."

"Who is Solo? To you, I mean," Quatre cut in, finally broaching the topic that had been on his mind for quite some time. "You really seem to know each other. A lot. So what's the story?"

"Lookie, lookie, Q's turning into a gossip," Duo teased. "Well, to answer your question, Solo was the guy that saved me from dying on the streets. Took me into his gang and I guess you could say we got close."

"How close?" Quatre asked, leaning in closer to his friend.

"Not that close," Duo frowned. "We were best friends, kinda like the way Heero and I are. 'Course, he was the leader of the gang and I was the kid that never left his side. He always called me purdy for some reason."

"'Purdy?'" Quatre repeated, not understanding what Duo had just said.

Just as he was about to correct himself, Duo suddenly blushed slightly. Like hell he was about to give Quatre something to hang over his head! He'd never live it down if that got to the rest of the guys.

"Never mind," he said brusquely. "Not important. At least, not when Solo died, of course."

Now it was his turn to frown. "Died? Then how is he…?"

"He told me some guy named Adrian saved him," Duo shrugged. "This guy was also the one that taught him how to do all that magic. Kinda owe the guy since he…well, he saved Solo." At this point, Quatre could see the beginnings of a pink tinge on Duo's cheeks. Hmm, perhaps there was more to this than met the eye…

"Enough about that," he said cheerfully. "We can talk more about that later. Right now though, we got a couple of guys wanting to be your roommate."

Duo frowned. "A couple? Oh no, you mean Wufei…?"

Quatre couldn't help it; he burst out laughing. "No not Wufei!" he choked. "I mean Solo and Heero. That was what the fight earlier was about."

"Wait, they fought?" Duo gaped.

"Well, Wufei did say they were acting childish," Quatre shrugged. "And you know what Wufei considers childish covers a lot of stuff."

"Huh," Duo grunted. Suddenly, his violet eyes lit up. "Hey, speaking of roommates…"

"What are you thinking about Duo?" Quatre asked warily.

"Nothing much," Duo said, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Just thinking that maybe Solo and Heero ought to have some bonding time, ya know? And the best way to do that is to…"

"Do you want the hotel to go up into flames?" Quatre exclaimed, horror painted on his face.

"Actually, that'd be an improvement," Duo snorted. "Honestly, a _pink_ hotel? This has "Relena, please stay here!" written all over it."

"You know, I could always buy the hotel," he suggested desperately. "We could change the color that way, you know?"

"Nah," Duo said, waving the suggestion away. "Way I see it, Trowa's gonna want to be alone with Hannah and Wufei values his privacy a lot so that just leaves you, me, and the two stooges. They can use the time to get to know each other and you and I can share, just like back at that village. You know, the one we hid out at after Siberia?"

"How could I forget?" Quatre said, a fond smile on his lips. Coming back to the matter at hand, despite actually getting the rooming arrangement he wanted (that being him sharing a room with Duo), he still couldn't help but feel that they were just asking for disaster. "But are you sure about this?" he asked.

"'Course I am!" Duo laughed. "Worst case scenario, someone gets kicked to a couch. I mean, c'mon! What's the worst that can happen?"


	12. The Curse of Jetlag

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

The Curse of Jetlag

Prussian blue eyes bored into intense green, disgust undisguised in them as one Japanese asshole stared at him without blinking once.

Solo found that he was rolling his eyes so much more often than before. What had Duo been thinking when he stuck him with this silent bastard who he suspected of wanting to get into Duo's pants. Over his dead body, of course, but still, he would have much preferred it if he shared a room with his friend instead.

"Ya know," he drawled, "you can look at me all ya want but I ain't gonna burst inta flames anytime soon."

"Hn," Heero grunted, not looking away from him, his glare not losing an ounce of its intensity.

Solo ground his teeth; by God this guy was getting on his nerves! How did Duo stand being around this guy? He was a patient person by nature but here he was nearly at the end of it. Still, he wasn't going to let this asshole know he was getting to him. You didn't show weakness to a rival since they'd jump onto it faster than a starving streetrat on an apple that had fallen off the fruit cart.

Gazing back boredly at his roomie for the next, who knew how many days or weeks, he decided that he might as well make the most of it and have some fun. He had the feeling that this guy wasn't the type that had a high tolerance for teasing…

"See something ya like?" he asked suggestively, sprawling out on the bed that he had taken over and stretching out like a cat, displaying as much of his body as physically possible and then some more beyond that. "Wanna know more 'bout what ya don't got?"

The glare intensified and Solo found himself slightly intimidated by it. It was one thing when it was a shopkeeper he was planning to steal from, it was another coming from a trained killer that wouldn't have qualms about slitting his throat and flushing what was left of him down the toilet. But where would the fun be if he didn't do his best to piss the asshole off? That was the whole reason _why_ fun was fun after all.

"Jealous, much?" he teased playfully. "I don't blame ya. I'm sexy as hell and hung like a horse."

"You're disgusting," Heero spat.

"How original," Solo rolled his eyes again. "Is that the best you can do? I've heard better from Alliance troops, jackass."

Heero looked positively livid and Solo reveled in the knowledge that he could bring the other this far with words alone. However, much to his disappointment, Heero seemed to get a hold of his temper and settle down, shooting him another glare before stalking out of their room.

What a killjoy. This was going to be a long vacation, he supposed before remembering that they were in hiding and not here to enjoy the sights. Yeah, that was right, those Collective guys were looking for Duo.

But it was so _boring_ just sitting around here doing nothing but hiding away from the bad guys. And Heero wasn't being a good sport either. A thought suddenly occurred to him; could Heero be hitting on his friend as he laid here, Duo being as inexperienced in relationships as he last recalled him to be? Well fuck that, he wasn't about to let Heero stay anywhere in Duo's proximity for a long amount of time. Heh, he just loved using that word, proximity…

Where was he again? Oh yes, that's right, preserving Duo's virginity. At least, he thought Duo was still a virgin. He'd have to ask about that to be sure he was actually defending the other's innocence. That ought to prove entertaining, especially if he asked in front of the others. Duo was always so responsive to his teasing…

Getting up, he trudged out of their room only to stop at the door as a fist came at him. A well timed shield stopped it before it hit his face and for some reason he was far from surprised to see that Heero was right there, the fist belonging to him and all.

"Uh uh," he tsked. "That wasn't very nice, jackass."

Flicking the fingers of his right hand out so that they were ramrod straight, he cast his spell over the shadows and once again took hold of Heero's shadow. This had the effect of causing the other to stumble towards him only to ram into the still active shield that he had summoned earlier.

"Go play with yourself some," he said challengingly as he sicked the other's shadow on him, chuckling as the Japanese's shadow shoved the Japanese man away from him. "Have fun!" he called out cheerfully as he headed for the stairs, waving a hand jauntily behind him.

---

Jet lag was really hitting him hard, he found out. After all the earlier events of the day, the exhaustion from traveling all day had finally caught up to Duo and there was only one thing to do for something with an active mind like his: sit down on the couch and turn on the tube.

Not the kind of thing he wanted to do on his _paid_ vacation, what with the beautiful scenery just outside, but he had been forbidden from leaving the suite. He'd obey for now, he thought to himself but come tomorrow; he'd test the mettle of his friends and see to what lengths they would go to contain him. As long as it wasn't raining tomorrow, he'd be making friends with Mr. Sun outside and he'd be damned if that didn't happen.

Thus far, the only other people who seemed to be succumbing to jet lag were Quatre and Hannah, Quatre because it had been quite some time since he had to do such sudden traveling and also because he had gotten caught up with the fight earlier and Hannah because she was actually normal, go figure. Trowa was keeping her company in their room, more than likely planning what they were going to do tomorrow and Quatre was sleeping it off in their shared room, or the master bedroom as Duo preferred to term it.

He thought it was very nice of him to allow the blond to recuperate in relative peace; before he probably would have been immature and made an ass out of himself. Well, he'll show them that he had grown up!

Still, he just couldn't figure out how the others seemed not to be very affected by their travel. Maybe it was because they weren't normal; Heero, Trowa, and Wufei had always been a bit too superhuman…

Then there was Solo who was being all hyper and all. If anyone should be suffering from jet lag, it should be him! Was this another of that magic stuff or was Solo just immune to it?

A heavy weight plopped itself right next to him suddenly, an arm resting onto his shoulders companionably. It took the braided one a second to realize he had company and another second to restrain his instinct to rip the arm off his shoulder. He wasn't in danger, man! There was no need to be tearing people's arms off for no reason whatsoever though it would definitely be worth a laugh later.

"Anything interestin' on?" Solo's accented voice asked.

Ah, it was just Solo. No need to be hurting anybody yet.

"A thousand channels and not a damn thing," he groused. "I swear, the Disney channel is more interesting than half the shit on right now."

"That sounds boring," the blond agreed, nodding his head in sympathy. "Hey, why don't we go out and do something? Look around, ya know?"

"Can't, guys won't let me," Duo sighed.

At this, Solo frowned. "Since when did you do what you were told?"

"Since the time I felt completely zapped," Duo replied as he allowed himself to drape against the larger blond. Resting his head on the other's shoulder, he murmured, "This feels nice. Don't move, 'K?"

Solo blinked in surprise at the impulsiveness of his friend's lazy action before shrugging his shoulders and earning himself a whine from the braided one. Chuckling, he said, "Man, you ain't changed a bit, ya brat. Always stickin' ta me like a leech."

"Ya know ya love it," Duo muttered, eyes closed and his voice patterns lapsing back to a time long forgotten.

"Didn't say it was a bad thing," Solo said, his cheeks pinkening slightly.

"'Sides, ya always were a good pillah," Duo whispered, rubbing his cheek against the clothed shoulder. "Think I'm gonna take a nap right here…"

"Fuckin' figures," the blond muttered, looking away from Duo and catching sight of a trembling Heero who was death glaring straight at him. Smirking at his competition, he tightened the arm he had wrapped around Duo's shoulders. As predicted, it peeved Heero off further as he left them in a huff.

What was that nickname Duo used to describe him? The Perfect Soldier? If he was so perfect, why was he so predictable? Guy was repressing his emotions so much that he was already behind in their little race. If that guy really wanted Duo, he was going to have to earn him.

It was almost sad how Duo didn't seem to be aware of the other's crush. Hell, he had figured it out only after being in the guy's company less than a day. Speaking of company, it was not going to be harmonic staying in the same room as that guy, was it? Heh, harmonic. Well, he supposed that was why the couch was invented; so that you didn't have to stay in a room with someone you didn't like.

---

Observing everything was one confused yet understanding Chinaman. It hadn't gone over him how this stranger and one of his best comrades were acting with one another. To be honest, the fact that Yuy was acting so much like a jilted lover was incredible yet inappropriate considering the circumstances they were in.

To tell the truth, Wufei had been observing this one-sided affair for quite some time, since the beginning in fact. To be honest, he had never expected someone like Yuy to be…so inclined, especially since he had been chased around by that woman all over the globe and then some.

Then there was Maxwell who was completely ambiguous in his tastes. When he flirted, gender was no issue. In fact, there had been times where he had to come to the other's defense when he had met up with someone who was not amused with his antics.

It was a wonder that he hadn't any wrinkles yet.

And now here was this new debacle. There was a more crude version of Maxwell walking about by the name of Solo who, like Maxwell, liked riling the Japanese ex-pilot up. If they weren't careful, this could easily become a powder keg. Combine that with the fact that they had all willingly gone into hiding, the "official" version being that they were on suspension/vacation, from an enigmatic organization that had their eyes dead set on getting their hands on their friend, well you could begin to see the problem.

Guess he was going to have to do something about it before it could escalate any further. That meant he was, sigh, going to have to speak with one of the participants and lucky him, note the sarcasm, Yuy was heading in his direction, heedless of everything around him.

Joy.

He held back on revealing his presence only until after Yuy had passed by him, seemingly ignorant that he was there, before he cleared his throat. The next thing he knew, there was a pistol right in front of his eye and a surprised Yuy on the other end of it. He could tell that the other was surprised mainly due to the fact that the other's gun was pointed straight at his eye and not his forehead.

Yuy always aimed for the forehead and nothing else.

Out of reflex, Wufei slapped Yuy's armed hand to the side with the back of his hand, making sure that the gun was no longer aimed at him with deadly intent. The last thing any of them needed right now was a dead body and he was going to be damn sure that he wasn't that body.

"Stand down, Yuy!" he thundered. "This isn't a combat situation, damn it!"

"Don't sneak up on me," Yuy retorted in a deadpan.

"I didn't sneak up on you, I was standing right here and you passed me," Wufei shot back. "What's going on Yuy? You're always aware of your surroundings."

"Nothing is wrong," Yuy answered, tucking his gun away. "I have…a lot on my mind right now."

"Since when?" the Chinaman demanded. "Out of all the people I know, Yuy, you've always had a clear head and it's always been kept that way. If I was anyone else, I'd believe that the whole situation with our newfound enemies after Maxwell was responsible but I do know you and I know that something like that wouldn't impair your abilities in such a way."

Yuy paused, as if actually considering his words. This was good, thought the Chinese man. He was getting through to his companion…much easier…than it should have been…

Taking a page out of Maxwell's book, he placed the palm of his hand on Yuy's head, trying to feel for any abnormalities. "You don't feel hot."

"I don't have a fever, Chang," Yuy grunted as he forcefully removed the hand. "I'm fine, no need to worry."

Before the other could ditch him, Wufei brought up the thing he was hoping to save for a little while longer. "It's because of this Solo, isn't it?"

That got a reaction out of Heero. The Japanese ex-pilot froze in his tracks and Wufei could see the other's muscles visibly tense. Knowing he had to continue quickly before Yuy could brush it off, he said, "You don't trust him, like Duo does." He was taking the risk of using the American's first name here, knowing how volatile that Yuy could get about their mutual friend. "You don't trust him yet you're peeved that Duo does without an objection. Am I right?"

Yuy remained silent for a few tense moments before sighing and relaxing his body. A normal person wouldn't have been able to tell though but Wufei could see the shoulders droop about two millimeters or so. It had taken a lot of practice and observation in order to notice that but hey, if it helped out in interpreting one of their most emotionally repressed comrades then Wufei would allow the slight invasion of privacy as did the rest of the other pilots.

"Is it that obvious?" Yuy groaned, turning his head around just enough to look the other in the eye.

"You'd be surprised," Wufei murmured, knowing that Yuy heard him just fine. "The only thing that shocks me is that Maxwell hasn't seemed to pick up on it."

Yuy's shoulders slumped a full millimeter further.

"How can he not?" Yuy half asked, half demanded. "How can he not see me when I'm right in front of him but he immediately knows where to find… _him_? What am I missing?"

A bunch of rude retorts entered Wufei's head and oddly enough they all sounded like the voice of Maxwell. Shaking his head to rid him of such dishonorable answers, he searched for a more sympathetic one, a feat that was a bit harder than it looked since he was used to being blunt and not considering others…feelings…

Why, oh why, did it have to be _him_ in this position and not someone like Winner who understood this kind of thing better?

Still, he was going to have to give it his all. Heero was his friend after all and if their positions were reversed, he was sure that the other would be trying to comfort him as well despite his emotional handicap.

"You've never really…told him about your attraction, have you?" he asked, laying a sympathetic hand on the other's shoulder. "Perhaps you should make yourself clear so that he knows? That should help a bit, maybe."

Yuy seemed to be hanging on his every word, as if what he was saying was gospel. With the barest crack of his lips to form a very slight smile, he thanked him and trekked off, most likely going to put that suggestion into action as soon as possible.

Wufei sighed. Hopefully this matter would be cleared up soon.

---

Quatre was more than thankful when night had settled and he had Duo all to himself in their shared room. The evening and dinner had been very…chaotic to say the least. Round two of the Heero-Solo feud had commenced when Heero had tried to get close to Duo again, this time saying that he had something he wanted to tell him.

However, he had clammed up when Solo revealed his presence in his rude manner and the two ended up glaring one another to submission, or at least tried to. A temporary diffuser of the conflict came in the form of a hungry Duo who had demanded childishly to be fed. Since they hadn't taken the chance to stock up on food earlier, something that Quatre cursed himself for since that was standard operating procedure back during the wars, they had to appease their hunger with a large order of pizza.

Since there were six guys and one little girl, they had to make a large order, one that Quatre easily covered for. Once the pizzas were delivered, though, it became a free for all as they all had to race for their food seeing as how both Duo and Solo were doing their best to try to eat everything in sight.

He didn't want to recall the little tussle between the two as they fought over who got the last slice of pepperoni, the problem being solved when Trowa stole it and took a mighty bite out of it. At least, he had thought the problem had been solved but both of the long haired boys turned on one another, accusing the other of conspiring against each other.

As it turned out, it was all in play as Duo had explained to him later that this was how they use to eat back when they were both streetrats. Humor was a great weapon when it came to distracting one from hunger but Quatre was unable to see any humor in their behavior. Had he not been as attentive, he would have missed the hopeful look Heero had had on his face as the other two had argued. But he did catch it and he was once again reminded that the shenanigans needed to stop before someone really did get hurt.

So now it was hours later, Trowa and Wufei had retired to their respective rooms, Trowa taking Hannah along with him, and Quatre had prevailed on Duo to come with him to their room. Both Heero and Solo were left to their own devices and while he knew that he should be worried about them, he found that he couldn't muster up the energy to care about that right now.

But what he did care about right now was staring straight at him with curious violet eyes, arms crossed over his chest and leaning against the closed door, his posture virtually screaming, "so what do you want?"

When he didn't say anything, Duo took it upon himself to verbally ask, "What's the big idea, Quat? Something you want to tell me or something?"

"Sort of," he answered. Plopping down to sit on the floor, he patted the carpet, telling the other to take a seat. Shrugging, Duo did as he was invited, earning a small smile from the blond. "I need to talk about something a little…delicate," he continued.

"Well shoot," Duo said.

"Well, you know about how my family and I are suppose to protect you, right?" he asked, getting a nod in return. "That's not the only thing we do. You see, depending on how we find the Death Mage, in this case you, we also serve to teach them how to harness their powers. Right now I'm thinking you know next to little about how to use them, correct?"

"Wait, hold on a minute," Duo interrupted, holding a hand up. "Are you telling me that you want to teach me how to use magic? The same stuff Solo uses?"

"Something like that," he answered.

In response, a large grin formed on Duo's face. "What are you waiting for, Quat? Why all the secrecy?"

"I don't want more than those necessary to know about this," he told him truthfully. "Who knows just who might be watching or listening. Right now I can control that and I don't want to endanger the others. This stuff can become dangerous if not handled right."

"I see," Duo said. "Guess it can't hurt to be careful."

"Indeed," Quatre agreed. "Right now, I don't want anyone knowing about this, not even the others. It's not that I don't trust them, it's just that it's easier to keep a secret with fewer people."

"How about Solo?" Duo asked, frowning. "He knows a bit about this magic stuff. He wouldn't be a problem."

"No," he shook his head. "No one but you and me, Duo. You may know that Solo's trustworthy but I don't and I'm not willing to take that chance right now. We have some really dangerous people after us and I don't want to have them get tipped off because of an accidental slip of the tongue."

"Alright, alright, fine, we do this your way," Duo grumbled. "So what do we do first, Wizard boy? Please tell me this ain't gonna be like that Harry Potter shit."

"No, no, it won't be anything like that," he replied, chuckling.

"Good, I hate that little asshole," Duo said, folding his arms over his chest. "So what's first?"

"First? Well we get you in touch with your energy first," Quatre said. "You can't do anything without it so that'll be the first step."

"Makes sense," Duo acknowledged. "So how do I do that?"

"The preferred manner is to meditate," he explained as he assumed the lotus position that had long been drilled into him. It had been years since he had last assumed it but he found that it was easy getting back into it. "Locating the energy is the first step so you'll have to clear your mind of all distraction as Wufei would say. It's always hard the first time but it gets easier every time you do it."

"Clear mind, find energy, got ya," Duo said as he copied the same position that the blond was in and closed his eyes, trying to imitate the pose that he had seen Wufei take countless times.

Seeing that the other was being receptive, Quatre took the liberty to make sure that he had given him the right instructions first by feeling for his own energy, finding the source of it instantly and feeling the strange warmth that it provided him. The moment he allowed it to encompass his being, he could feel all the emotions in the building slamming up against his psyche. Fortunately, his self-defense mechanisms kicked in and he automatically rose up the mental shields to block most of them out. Now he could only feel those that were in the suit and each of them were calm and ordered.

Well, make that most of them; the source of emotions that he labeled Trowa was anything but and so was Hannah's and…oh. Huh, he never thought that the couple was the premarital type and from the way Trowa's mind was completely wild, his taller friend was more than making up for his public silence in private.

Keeping a hold on his power, he opened his heavy eyelids to gaze at Duo, searching him for any sign that the other was successful as well. Duo, however, remained still as a statue and he could only tell that the other was alive due to his chest expanding and shrinking with each breath he took.

Several minutes passed in silence and Quatre found his curiosity was beginning to win over his patience. What was taking so long? Duo had accessed his powers before so it shouldn't be too much of a problem for him to locate it.

"Duo?" he called out quietly. No response. Crawling over to where the other was seated, he placed a hand gently on the braided one's shoulder and shook him. "Duo?"

Then a slight sound caught his attention. What was that? It sounded like…snoring?

Blinking dumbly, he leaned closer to the other and much to his astonishment Duo was indeed snoring lightly. Of all the things to do and of all the times to do it, he fell asleep.

"This is going to be harder than I thought it would be," he muttered to himself.


	13. Quality Time in the Sun

Author's Note: Uh oh, there's more plot to be had! Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

Quality Time in the Sun

"Has anybody seen Duo?"

"What? Wasn't he just here?"

"He wasn't here when I woke up. I thought that he was in the bathroom or in the kitchen."

"Don't tell me you've already lost him, Winner!"

The silent scuffle of someone stomping away…

"Trowa? Is something wrong with Heero? He looks upset."

"Just stay out of his way, Hannah. He gets like this sometimes."

"Damn it, why is it always so hard to hold on to that idiot? Winner, do you know of anywhere he could have gone to?"

"We just got here Wufei! How would I know where he would go?"

Listening to all this was a certain long haired blond leaning against the wall just outside of the dining area, arms crossed over his chest and head bent down, eyes shut. While he was worried about where his missing friend was, Solo wasn't panicking just yet. To be honest, he already had a good idea as to where he could have gone.

That idea, of course, popped into his head when he looked out through the sliding glass door that led to the balcony and notice how nice of a day it was outside.

Add to the fact that he was most likely the expert in knowing who Duo was and how he acted; it didn't take much of a stretch for him to figure out what was going on. After all this time, did they all honestly believe that Duo was just going to sit down and obey an order when he was in the middle of an island paradise? Like hell he would; the brat most likely got up early and snuck out with some beach stuff. He could totally see the other doing that.

And what was the big deal with that? As long as he had someone with him, he shouldn't be in too much danger. Then again, he didn't know how the Collective worked and what they would do to get their hands on Duo.

Guess he was just going to have to show these guys how they did things on L2.

Leaving them to worthless talking, he went up to the room that he hadn't slept in last night, preferring the couch on the lower floor of the suite than to sharing a room with Heero of all people. However, his stuff was still in there and if he recalled correctly, as soon as Duo had learned just where rich boy was taking them, he had hustled him over to the nearest clothing store and gotten him a swimsuit along with some other stuff that Duo claimed was vital to going to the beach.

Ignoring the glare Heero was giving him as he changed, he whistled a jaunty tune; dressed only in a loose shirt, swim trunks and sandals with a beach towel draped over a shoulder. While the others were running around the place like chickens with their heads chopped off, he left the suite without any trouble and in a few minutes was trekking down the long stretch of sand where other vacation goers were laying about.

It didn't take him long to spy out a peculiar braid and he smirked as he stopped right next to none other than a topless Duo who was resting on the ground on his stomach, back displayed to the ever inviting sun.

"Ya know the others are lookin' for ya," he commented as he plopped down next to his friend.

Duo only chuckled at that. "So what else is new?"

"Nothing new, eh?" he commented as he looked down at his old friend. "Guess it wouldn't matter that they're pulling their hair out right now tryin' ta find ya…again," he mused.

"Hey, I left a note," Duo huffed, not moving from his current position.

"Ya did?" Solo blinked. That was news to him.

"They probably didn't see it," Duo grumbled. "Well, this oughta teach them ta pay more attention ta their surroundin's."

"Kid, you're lapsing," the blond sing-songed.

"As if you don't do it yourself," the braided one snorted.

"So you plan on spending da day out here gettin' a tan?" Solo asked, deliberately changing the subject because he didn't feel like losing an argument.

"Yep," Duo chirped. "Why else go to da beach?"

It was truly a shame that Duo had his eyes closed and wasn't looking at him else he would have seen the mischievous smirk on his face. Peeling off his shirt, Solo answered, "I can think of a lot of stuff 'sides doin' something boring like that."

Then without further ado, he grabbed hold of the braided one and lifted him up off the ground, quickly making his way towards the ocean. Yelping in surprised, Duo tried to squirm out of his grasp but Solo wasn't planning on holding him forever anyway. He had just wading a few feet into the surf before he gave a big heave and toss his unsuspecting friend into the deep blue water that seemed to stretch on forever.

Bursting out of the water from the unexpected drench, strains of the salty liquid pouring off of him from various points on his body, he glared at the blond who was currently doubled over, clenching his stomach with both arms as he laughed his ass off at his expense.

Eyes narrowing, Duo declared war and struck his friend down.

---

Emerging from the sea, the two longhaired boys panted as if their lives depended on it, both sharing shit-eating grins. By God that had been fun! Duo hadn't felt so free like that in a long time and of all the people to share it with, it was with his best friend.

So what if they had acted like a bunch of kids, it was _fun_. It put a whole new spin on the old fashion, childish roughhousing they used to do when they were younger and there was no one else around to impress. Sure there were also people around here who he had caught staring at them but they weren't important. They were probably just some stuck-up rich people who had too much time on their hands and had no clue as to just how relieving it was to forcibly dunk your best friend's head underwater.

Collapsing on their abandoned beach equipment, the two shared a look before bursting out into laughter, both having the time of their lives. Never before had either of the two imagined doing something like this before, especially back when they were kids on L2. Well look at them now!

"Damn, Kid, when did ya get so tough," Solo panted, grinning nonetheless.

Duo beamed at the praise. "You're not the only one who's changed, Solo," he countered. "I ain't the same brat that you can just give noogies to anymore."

"I noticed," the blond replied. "You can give noogies back now. Good."

Smirking, the braided one stretched an arm out and around the other's neck and pulled him into a head lock, proceeded to dig a knuckle straight into the cranium. Why did he do this? Just to prove that he actually could, that's why! Solo actually had to struggle to get out of his hold but when the blond finally succeeded, there was admiration in those green eyes that the braided one adored so.

"Damn, you really did get strong," the blond praised.

"Of course," Duo said with a shit-eating grin, flexing an arm to show off a bicep. "I wasn't a Gundam pilot for nothing!"

"So you're a brat that can win at arm-wrestling now, big deal," Solo huffed, crossing his arms childishly.

"Oh? Is someone jealous?" Duo teased, his violet eyes lighting up.

A peculiar rumbling suddenly interrupted them and Duo found himself staring at Solo pointedly. Well, more like staring at Solo's stomach pointedly.

"Someone forgot to eat breakfast," the braided one chuckled.

"I wasn't hungry," Solo muttered, glancing darkly at the other.

Taking pity, Duo patted the other's naked shoulder. "Tell ya what, I spy an ice cream stand nearby. I'll run over there and get ya a cone, 'kay?"

Solo looked hopeful for a second but then seemed to get suspicious. "Maybe I should go with ya, make sure ya don't eat it first," he said with a distrusting voice.

"Hey, one of us has to stick around here and guard our stuff," Duo said, purposely neglecting the fact that they had abandoned said stuff earlier to play in the sea. As luck would have it, Solo agreed with him, probably completely forgetting about that fact but Duo wasn't going to complain. 'Sides, it made him feel good to give something back to the guy that practically raised him, even when he thought he was dead.

"Back in a flash!" he chirped as he leapt to his feet and dashed off, leaving the blond to stare dumbly at the spot he had recently vacated. Why did it feel like he just got tricked all the sudden?

The journey to the ice cream stand went by in a snap and then the only thing Duo needed to worry about was which flavor to get. Ah, so many flavors to choose from but which to get… If he remembered correctly, Solo had always had a taste for chocolate…so why not?

It was only then that he came upon his next problem. While sticking his hand into the pocket of his swimsuit, he frowned when nothing met his fingertips. Patting around the only piece of cloth on his body, he came to the realization that he had left everything back with his stuff…which included his wallet with the cash inside of it.

Looking back to where Solo waited, he pouted. Aw man, it was so far away…and he didn't want to go back empty-handed all just so he could grab some cash. Solo wouldn't let him hear the end of it; it was L2 all over again, he swore. Whenever he made a mistake like this, Solo would embarrass the hell out of him on purpose "so ya can learn from yer mistakes."

Damn, that had been years ago…

"Is something wrong? Money troubles, perhaps?" a voice chuckled from behind him, raising the hairs on the back of his head.

Whipping around, ready to knock this asshole's block off, he found himself pausing at the sight of a tall, pale man who was smirking down at him, dark sunglasses hiding his eyes from sight. He was dressed pretty much like tourist would be from the God-awful Hawaiian shirt and cargo shorts to the feet exposing sandals that shouldn't be revealing those pale-ass feet at all. Over all of that, it was the strange man's silver colored hair with the noticeable black bangs that captured most of the braided one's attention but he quickly got over his wonder quickly and drew himself up, trying to make up his obvious height disadvantage.

But damn, this guy was tall! Taller than Trowa, he bet.

"I'd appreciate it if you mind your own business, pal," he growled, glaring at the pale man who didn't look like he had gone outside in a long time. Damn he was pale…

"Excuse me then," the man unexpectedly apologized, "but I just saw that you were searching your person for something and since you were right here, I assumed you were searching for some currency. Guess I just proved what they say about assuming, right?"

"Making an ass out of you and me, yeah, I know that," Duo said, relaxing slightly but not completely.

"Tell you what, let me make it up to you and purchase your treat," the man suggested. "It's the least I can do for insulting you so."

"You didn't really but hey, if you insist," Duo shrugged before looking back at the stand's selection of ice cream. "Ooh, those look really nice," he murmured.

"So what'll it be?" the pale man asked, looking down at him indulgently.

"A cone of chocolate and another with Neapolitan," Duo decided.

"Two? You sure you won't get a stomach ache?" the pale man asked.

"One's for my friend. I just figured I might as well get one too," Duo replied. "You are still paying, right?"

"Of course, of course," the pale man said, pulling out a wad of cash from a pocket and earning a whistle from the braided one. The man only smirked at the reaction and slipped out a few bills while Duo simultaneously took hold of his order.

"Thanks, I guess," Duo said, not looking very comfortable.

"It's no problem," the pale man said as he slipped his shades off, revealing his pitch black eyes that seemed to devour him. "I have the problem of spoiling every beautiful person I come into contact with."

Duo blushed at the compliment. Now, he would have snapped out something like he wasn't beautiful or anything but the guy just bought him ice cream…and that was starting to melt a little…and yeah…

"See you later, then," Duo said as he scurried off, leaving the pale man behind.

---

Smirking, Morrigu didn't take his eyes off the braided figure as he hurried off. He hadn't been expecting to meet the Death Mage like this and to discover that he was so enchanting. Perhaps he wouldn't be so bored after all.

Still, he had a job to do and business always came before pleasure, much to his ire.

Turning and walking away, he took out a cell and speed dialed the first number on it. "Found him," he reported. "He's not alone, it seems, but I doubt that will make any difference. Tell Bryce to hurry his ass up and get here. Who knows how long it will be before we lose him again?"

---

"Voila!" Duo chirped as he plopped down beside Solo, handing him a cone laden with chocolate flavored ice cream. "Eat up before it melts, Solo."

"Double scoop? Ya shouldn't have!" the blond said in mock-gratitude, greedily consuming the sweet, frozen treat. It was very rare when he had the chance to get his hands on something as sweet and bad for you as this; he could probably count all the times on one hand and that was if he was really thinking hard about it.

Damn, how did Duo know to get chocolate? The kid could read him like a book sometimes.

Glancing at Duo from the corner of his eye, he frowned slightly when he caught sight of the other's snack. What the hell was it? He could tell there was chocolate in it and was that vanilla? And what was that pink part? Why did he get to have three flavors and he only got one?

Noticing his look, Duo chuckled and held his ice cream out towards him. "Wanna taste?"

As if he needed an invitation. He leaned towards it eagerly and swiped his tongue against the cold cream, doing his best to get a bit of each flavor. The three flavors conflicted on his tongue and he savored it, trying to figure out where one flavor ended and where another began.

"You like?" Duo asked as he swiped his tongue against the snack.

"What is it?" he asked, taking another bit of his pure chocolate.

"Neapolitan," Duo answered. "Vanilla, Chocolate, and Strawberry ice creams all mixed into one brand. Never really know which flavor to go for first and which to have for last."

"Why not have them all at da same time?" he wondered.

"That's what I ended up doing," Duo replied, taking another lick. "A lot of people, though, try to only eat one flavor at a time for some reason. Me, I think the reason why there's three flavors is because you have to have all three at the same time. Makes it interesting, eh?"

"Guess so," Solo shrugged, choosing to take a bite and ruining his nonchalance immediately as the cold made his teeth incredibly sensitive.

Seeing this, Duo chuckled at his misfortune, causing the blond to pout. "Don't eat too quickly; you might not like what happens."

"You're a bit late," the blond said testily. "I could have used that a second ago, ya know."

"Last I recall, you were the type that always had to learn the hard way," Duo said.

Solo frowned. "Now you got that backwards. You were always da one that had to learn da hard way. Half da stuff ya used ta screw up on were things I already knew and tried ta teach ya but did ya listen? No, you had ta do it your way."

Slurping up some melted ice cream that had trickled onto his hand, Duo simply replied, "Whatever."

Solo could only shake his head at that. "Glad ta know some things haven't changed," he said dryly.

"Hope you like the stuff that did," Duo retorted, winking at him.

He blinked at that. Well that was a bit brazen wasn't it? Then again, Duo had never been one for subtlety. The corners of his lips quirked upwards as he resumed eating his frozen snack, playfully making a bit of a show out of it as he dragged his tongue over the rapidly shrinking scoop of cream, pulling the pink muscle back and making a smacking noise with his lips.

He noticed that Duo had been mesmerized by his little performance, so much so that his eyes were glazed over and he was neglecting his ice cream. Was he going to get to first base or was he going to get a strike?

Blinking, Duo seemed to come out of his thoughts and pinkened slightly from embarrassment. Solo smirked triumphantly and received a "hmph" from Duo in return. Chuckling, the blond returned his attention back to his ice cream; eating it rapidly as he realized that if he didn't hurry, it would melt all over him and he couldn't have that yet.

"So, how'd ya pay for these?" he asked aloud, making it sound like he was just trying to start up a conversation.

"With cash," Duo replied slowly, giving him a look that gave the impression to the blond that the braided one was beginning to think he was slow. All in due time, kiddo, the blond thought to himself, knowing that that time was now.

"Oh? Ya did?" he asked.

"Solo, where are you going with this?" Duo demanded.

"I was just curious," he shrugged. "I mean, it's kinda hard ta pay for something when ya don't have your wallet on you."

Duo gave him a deer-in-the-headlights look and Solo couldn't help but revel in that. He had him now. "I'm hurt Kid," he said melodramatically. "I thought I taught ya not ta lie."

"It…wasn't a lie," Duo muttered, looking away. "Someone else _did_ pay for them."

"Oh? And who might that be? Some girl I bet?" the blond teased. "Always knew you were gonna be a lady killer."

"Actually, it was a guy…" Duo trailed off yet facing the blond without looking away. "It was pretty nice of him."

Solo paused and his teasing came to a halt. Wait…some _guy_ bought Duo ice cream? For some reason, he didn't like hearing that, not one bit, yet he couldn't explain why he felt that way. To try and take his mind off of those unpleasant thoughts, since for some other unexplained reason the image of a stuck up Heero kept popping up in his head, he decided to change the topic to something else.

His chosen topic, though, turned out not to be the best one to pick…

"Uh…who was that chick?" he asked. "The one in your wallet."

Duo froze up again but this time it wasn't surprise. "Did you go through my wallet?" he asked ominously, his violet eyes darkening in a way that Solo didn't like.

"I was bored!" he whined. "You were taking so long and I didn't feel like going after you. 'Sides, ya told me ta stay with the stuff."

"Solo," Duo sighed, his anger draining out of him, giving the blond the impression that Duo may have been bipolar or something. No one should go through so many emotions that quickly and in such a short amount of time. "Don't you know you shouldn't go through someone else's stuff? It's called privacy."

"Alright, whatever you say," he said, making a note not to go through the other's sock drawer. Instead, he supposed he'd have to go through Hannah's in a panty raid…as long as Trowa wasn't in the nearby vicinity, of course. Guys could get really protective about their girls and the guy in question also happened to be a trained killer. He hadn't needed to watch his steps like this since he had been back on the streets. "So who was she?" he prompted, asking the previous question regardless of the potential backlash and ire it might earn him.

Curiosity killed the cat and all.

Duo gave him a look that blatantly said that he didn't want to talk about it but Solo returned the look challengingly, visibly saying he wouldn't drop the subject without a good reason.

Sighing, Duo answered, "Her name was Hilde, alright? Gonna drop it now?"

"Something happen?" the blond asked, not yet wanting to drop the subject now that he got some sort of answer from it as well as Duo's own reluctance to talk about it. It had to be something troubling but the blond had heard from somewhere that talking about whatever it was would make it better.

Let's see if it's bullshit or all true.

Sighing again, Duo took a bite out of his cone, chewing deliberately as if he was trying to stall. Solo remained patient, watching the other intently and taking a bite out of his own cone. Finally, after a minute, Duo gave in and answered.

"She's in a better place right now."

Solo frowned. "She leave you?"

"If you call getting run over by a truck leaving, then yeah, she did," Duo bit off bitterly, ignoring the melted ice cream that streamed onto his hand.

Solo's eyes widened at that. "Crap, sorry. Didn't mean to…ya know…yeah…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Duo said listlessly. "That's just the way things go, ya know."

Frowning again, Solo cocked his head. Something about that didn't seem right. There was more to this than from what Duo was telling him. "Is there something you're not telling me?" he asked, no hint of his street grammar in his voice. "It was an accident, wasn't it?"

Duo looked up at him in surprise before deflating somewhat. "You could always tell when I leave things out," he said ruefully. Sighing, he said, "It was an accident in terms of her being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You see, after the wars were over, I got into the salvage business with her and ended up back on L2. By the time I started working there, though, the business was going under big time and both of us had to do some things in order to keep just above bankruptcy.

"Now that that's set up, here's what happened. The truck that hit her was carrying a bunch of illegal weapons and since the driver didn't stop, he left her there to die. When she didn't come back, I went looking for her and found her body. Since the L2 police sucks, it was me who went to any witnesses and after I tracked down the truck, I tortured the driver, wanting to know who he was working for.

"William Bryce. That was the guy who was in charge, though the guy did say something about there being some other guy. He kinda died from blood loss before I could find anything else out."

"Wow," Solo stated, eyes wide. Who knew that Duo could be so…coldblooded?

"After that, I found out the Preventers were going after Bryce," Duo continued. "Since I didn't know where the fucker was or how to find him, I decided to get involved with the investigation itself and catch the bastard. Nothing like life in prison to make someone suffer you know? Hell, I'd gladly pay the taxes to keep him there too."

"So you catch the guy?" the blond asked, riveted.

"Just last week," Duo told him, lips curling upwards. "Of course, I did kinda wreck the city up a bit chasing him down. At least I'm on paid vacation; all I have to do now is wait for the trial so that I can testify and make sure he never gets out."

"So you were close to the girl, Hilde?" Solo asked.

"Depends on your definition," Duo shrugged. "I guess that you could say we were. Heero for some reason didn't like her."

_Competition_, Solo thought to himself. He could see why though; Duo was a very fine catch and anyone who could grab him would be the luckiest person on Earth and the Colonies. Heero must have been jumping for joy when he heard that Duo would be working with them, he mused. No competition in sight and an open field. Well, not anymore it wasn't.

"I guess things haven't been easy for you," he said. "Man, I wish I had been there to look after ya."

"I've always landed on my feet," Duo shrugged. "It's just that these things always happen to me. I've gotten used to them."

"But you shouldn't have," he argued.

"And I have no use for might-have-beens," Duo interrupted. "There's only one direction to go and that's ahead. You can't move if you're always looking back at the past."

"Did ya get that from a fortune cookie?" Solo asked after silence fell on them.

"Kinda," Duo admitted, scratching the back of his head.

"What am I gonna do with you, Kid?" he chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.

Their time was then interrupted as a shadow fell over them. Slowly looking up, the two stared up into the face of an impassioned Heero whose body seemed to be trembling. Narrowing his eyes, Solo could tell that this intruder was pissed and he tensed up, just waiting for one wrong move to be made.

"Hey, Heero," Duo greeted. "Finally find my note?"

Without even saying a word, Heero grabbed Duo by his arm and hauled him up harshly to his feet, heedless of the other's wince of pain. "What do you think you were doing?" the Japanese man snapped. "I've been looking for you all over!"

"Sorry," Duo whispered, looking away much to Solo's surprise. "I just wanted to get out of the hotel for a while…"

"Of all the irresponsible…!" Heerp swore. "Don't you ever think?"

"I'm not a child, Heero," Duo shot back, frowning. "Now let go!"

However, at that moment Solo was already acting, taking control of the shadows but only using them subtly to wrap around Heero's feet. The moment Heero tried to move, he found that he couldn't lift his feet, no matter how hard he tried. Solo smirked at that; it wasn't that he didn't want to utterly trash Heero right now but he didn't think making this scene bigger than it already was would be good.

Who knew if those Collective bastards were nearby? Not that he didn't think that blondie's logic was wrong but it didn't hurt to be careful now did it?

Getting up, he tried to peel Heero's grip off Duo but found much to his surprise that his rival was much stronger than he looked. He was so surprised, in fact, that he didn't see it coming.

Pain in his face and then his ass is what he felt before he realized what had just happened. Did…did that asshole just punch him? And then make him fall onto his ass? Oh hell no; it's _on_ now!

However, before he could do anything, he heard Duo cry out Heero's name followed by an odd crunching sound. Next thing he knew, Heero was in front of him on his knees, hands clutching onto his groin tightly and eyes squeezed so tightly together that tears were beginning to leak out.

Standing over him, Duo glared down at Heero. "I learned from last time," he growled, his violet eyes beginning to glow eerily.

Well this didn't look good. He recalled what had happened when Duo had gotten pissed off before and he was the only one alive to tell the tale about it. Plus he didn't think that it'd be smart for him to let loose in such a…public place, even though he had no clue if Duo could do that transformation thing or not.

Better safe than sorry.

"Duo, let's just pack it up and go back," he said, sighing. "You can kick his ass later if you want ta. I'll help."

Duo continued to glare, muttering, "What's gotten in to you?" to Heero before turning towards Solo and deflating somewhat. "Guess this means no night out on the town," he said wryly as he trudged over to his beach stuff. He paused for a second, staring forlornly at the remains of his ice cream, having dropped it when Heero had hauled him up. He hadn't even finished it…

Unfortunately for Solo, he caught that look and he felt the stirrings of pity well up inside of him. Glancing down, he realized that he wasn't holding his cone either, groaning when he spotted in a few feet away. Must've dropped it when Heero slugged him; he could have given it to Duo and get raised up an unneeded notch or two. He was going to make that Asian bastard pay when they got back up to the room!

"There's no use dwelling on it, Solo," Duo beside him, holding everything he had brought down with him in his arms. "But look on the bright side, there's always another opportunity!" he tried to chirp though he trailed off miserably at the end.

Solo frowned at that; now why did Duo look and sound like he was going to his doom? Was there something about the relationship Duo had with the others that he missed? As he picked up his towel, he made a mental note to himself to find out.

Of course, that meant when he left that he had forgotten his spell on Heero was still in effect and he wouldn't recall for a while after…

Meanwhile, that gave Heero some time to consider and review what just went wrong. Unfortunately, Heero was in too much pain to even think at that moment except for two things. Somehow, he needed to talk to Duo and explain himself. Then kick that blond bastards' ass for getting in his way.


	14. The Astral Plains

Author's Note: A recent development that I feel you all should know, I have agreed to Kibin Okami posting this fic on her own account so don't anybody go accusing people of plagiarism or anything. Same story, but different author's notes so if you don't fancy looking at me, go to KO's and review people. You know what they say, every time you touch yourself, Kaworu kills a kitten…wait, wrong fandom. Let's see, is it every time you review, Heero's spandex gets tighter…Duo's IQ goes up by one point…Trowa's butt gets tighter…Quatre's balls get bigger…Wufei's hair gets greasier? One of those five? Or am I so far away from the bull's-eye that I'm arctic? No matter, enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language, slight violence

The Astral Plains

"Alright, alright, I said I was sorry, didn't I?" Duo grumbled as he sat crossed legged on the floor across from Quatre. "Geez, y'all are acting like I did something stupid."

"It may not have been stupid but it was indeed reckless," Quatre countered, also situated in the lotus position. "We're in hiding, remember?"

"So you want to be reclusive and ignore the beautiful scenery while we're here?" Duo shot back sarcastically. "Now that's just stupid. You know how many people would kill just to be where we are now?"

"Oh, and why would keeping you from being captured by The Collective be stupid?" Quatre asked wryly.

"I'm not saying it's stupid," Duo amended hastily. "It's just how you guys are going about it. Wouldn't it be suspicious that a group of guys come to one of the most beautiful places on the Earth but spend all their time closeted up in a hotel room? If that doesn't raise red flags, I don't know what will."

Quatre paused at that, much to Duo's pleasure. Ha! He one-upped their strategist!

"You have a point there," Quatre acknowledged, though it was grudgingly. "However, the fact that you left without a word, care to explain that?"

"Hey, I left you guys a note," Duo defended, crossing his arms. "It's not my fault that you don't look at the bedside table first thing in the morning. What ya want me to do? Tape it to your face?"

"Instead of leaving a note and not saying a word, next time you could wait until someone else was up?" Quatre suggested, sighing.

"I thought you guys were smart," Duo huffed. "Solo figured out where I was pretty quickly and he didn't need me telling him anything."

Silence. Oh yeah, that was twice! He was getting better at these argument things.

"Let's just get back to work, okay?" Quatre sighed, deliberately changing the subject. "The sooner you learn to use your powers, the better I'll feel about letting you outside."

"I don't even know what I'm looking for," Duo complained, nevertheless complying with the blond's wishes.

"It's different for everyone," Quatre replied. "Trust me, you'll know what it is when you find it. Use your intuition; that might help."

Duo rolled his eyes unseen by the other. "Whatever you say, Quat."

Eyes still closed, Quatre smiled softly. He had already tapped into his powers and was letting the warmth of it envelop and fill him up. Extending out his empathy, he kept tabs on his braided friend, observing the other with all his boiling that were simmering just beneath the surface.

"Is something else wrong, Duo?" he asked aloud, not opening his eyes. "Your mind's not clear as it should be."

He could feel Duo startle and stare at him and he let his smile widen. The blond waited patiently for the braided one to either do or say something. Hearing Duo grumble, his emotions losing some of their steam, Quatre remained as the dispassionate observer, seeing his friend just a few feet in front of him without his eyes physically being open.

With a tad bit of concentration, the blond could feel what Duo was doing inside his head, looking around it half-heartedly. Quatre physically shook his head at that. Still, this was why he was here; they didn't have the time to have Duo bumble around in his own head, searching for the source of his magic. That sometimes took months, maybe even years depending on who it was.

That was why the Winner family was so skilled in using empathy spells; there were a whole range of things that could be done that were not quite what people expected. One of those things was influencing other's thoughts, including guiding someone's thought process to actually changing someone's personality. Emotions were a very powerful thing, even without magic being a part of it.

It was time he used his "gift" the way that it had been meant to; that of course did not include experiencing what others were feeling. What could he say, emotions were incredible.

Extending a tendril of magical power from his being, the empathy spell weaved throughout it, he lightly touched Duo's mind and began scanning through it, ignoring memories and thoughts while searching for something that he had only read about but never encountered.

"Uh, Quat? Duo spoke, suddenly uncomfortable as he felt another pair of eyes in his head. "Is that…is that you in my head?"

"Yes Duo," the blond answered.

"Any reason why you're reading my brain like a book?" the braided one pressed when the blond didn't seem to be saying anything else.

"You can feel that?" Quatre asked, slightly surprised.

"Yeah, it's kinda hard not to when you can feel someone's eyes on you," Duo said, shifting his body physically in discomfort.

"Sorry," Quatre apologized, letting the pressure off somewhat. "I'm just—well hello…"

"What?" Duo demanded, freezing up.

Yes, that definitely had to be it, Quatre thought to himself. The sudden chill that was encompassing his body, the feeling of that ball of abject cold and absentness in a sea of hot emotions stood out like a boulder in a pile of pebbles.

Smiling to himself, Quatre said, "I think I found what you're suppose to be looking for. Here, let me show you."

There were some moral and ethical concerns to be worried about to what he was about to do but when had such things ever stopped him before? He had taken part in two wars, for Christ's sake! So even before any words had left his friend's mouth, he poured a flood of magic down through the tendrils of his power that connected him to Duo's mind, allowing his consciousness to go along with it.

Around the two, the world seem to blur and distort, leaving only those who were not used to it nauseous. Needless to say, Duo, who had once been a few feet in front of him but was not literally right next to him, was dry heaving as he retched out nothing but air while he stood passively beside him.

"Damn it Quatre!" Duo barked as he got a hold of himself. "What the hell do you—what the fuck?!"

Quatre wasn't surprised; this was someone's usual reaction when they found themselves out on the astral plains.

The astral plains, a surreal area of space that everyone owned yet possessed only small corners of it. A bit paradoxical, yes, but in this place the laws that governed the physical world had no say here.

All around them streams of raw magical and psychic power shot through the charged space like shooting stars, going in all directions from left and right, forward and backward, up and down, each stream headed off by a swelling node of power that went in whatever direction suited it. The two of them hovered in the middle of it all, their feet flat on an invisible surface yet not supported by anything whatsoever.

The blond was not in the least surprised that everything around them was tinted a light purple; Duo was the Death Mage after all…

"Quatre?" Duo asked shakily, overwhelmed by this experience. "What is dis place?"

A wry smile formed on Quatre's lips. "The astral plains, specifically your cornered off piece of it. In layman's terms, it would be your mind. In psychological terms, I guess you could call it the collective unconscious, the very force that connects all of us human beings together while separating us at the same time."

"Quatre? I have no fuckin' idea what da hell yer talkin' 'bout," Duo said bluntly, evidently getting over his shock. His voice was colored by an accent that perked the blond's curiosity and made him wonder about it. He had heard it from his friend before but only in extremely short bursts that would disappear as soon as they came. Here, though, it was consistent and he doubted Duo even noticed it.

"It's very hard to explain," Quatre replied dryly. "The astral plains don't make sense to anybody at first since it works by its own set of rules and not ours. I guess you can call it more of a dream world than anything."

"Okay, I understood dat," Duo said, attempting to rub his arm nervously and discovering something else instead. "But could ya explain ta me why we're practically nek'ed?"

Quatre shook his head at that, doing his best to reign in his amusement. It was obvious to what his friend was referring to; the two of them were floating around in the astral plains in nothing other than androgynous "bodies" that were only similar to their physical bodies in that they were defined by their slim sizes and their heads remaining unblemished whatsoever. Quatre was quick to note that while his body radiated a golden yellow and was marked with a bright orb-shaped marking on his chest, Duo's body was dark purple with black claw mark shapes that littered the body, a sickle-shaped moon tattooing the area where the other's heart would be.

"Clothes don't exist here," he answered after a moment. "I guess you could say this is the closest you'll ever see of your real self. Here, there are no barriers or defenses, no illusions that we use every day to protect ourselves. So yes, you could say we're 'naked' in that we can no longer hold lies. All our masks here are gone and beyond our reach."

Duo shuddered. "Any chance we could leave now?" he asked.

Quatre could see why he seemed discomforted. Who knew if a stray thought might strike or a repressed memory that was buried into the unconscious long ago might surface?

"Just a moment," he said. "This is what I wanted to show you."

Duo jolted. "What da fuck is dat thing?!" he exclaimed, gaping at the transparent yet dark blob that had filled in what had been previously empty space. "An' where da fuck did it come from?! I could swear it wasn't there a second ago!"

"Astral plains, remember?" Quatre reminded him. "Here you can literally be in two places at the same time."

"But dat doesn't explain what it is an' why ya wanted ta show it ta me, now does it?" Duo drawled, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. "Get talkin' blondie."

Quatre narrowed his eyes in annoyance at that. He hated it whenever someone called him blondie and Duo only ever called him that when he was impatient.

"In the simplest terms, this is your center, the source of all your power," he explained, gesturing to the blob. "Though, I've never seen one like this," he noted.

"Why, somethin' wrong?" Duo demanded in his accented voice.

"Nothing to be concerned about," Quatre said, waving the matter aside. "It's probably because you're the Death Mage. Forget about it for now, what we need to focus on is getting you to learn to control this thing right here."

"An' how do ya suppose we do dat?" Duo asked, looking at him skeptically. What was it with people not trusting him these days? Everyone was looking at him like he was a different person now.

But back to the matter at hand, Duo did raise a good question just now. From stories he had been told about previous Death Mages and what his ancestors had done, he wondered if it was going to be as simple as they said it was. Only one way to find out, he supposed.

Placing his hands on Duo's shoulder, getting a look of curiosity from that, Quatre beamed at the other and said, "Like this!"

Then without further delay, he pulled Duo in front of him and then shoved him straight into the transparent blob before them.

---

Goddamn it, sunburns sucked!

Solo winced as he twitched, his reddened skin sensitive and pulled taunt all across his body. Damn, he knew he had forgotten something when he left to find Duo. Goddamn sunscreen, that's what! Plus, add in that he was a born and raised Colonist who had barely been out in the sun before without a lot of clothes on, then you got the makings of a brand new kind of torture.

For now, though, he had to content himself with the only girl in their midst, Hannah, rubbing aloe vera all over his burned skin, Trowa watching him with hawk-like eyes, daring him to try anything funny. Solo was not in the mood to try anything funny, except on Heero who had given him a triumphant smirk earlier, but other than that he was waiting for when he could move without being bowled over by burning pain so that he could use his healing spell.

It wasn't long waiting for his arm to get enough relief so that he could summon the spell; it was perhaps just twenty minutes sitting there in agonizing stillness of course but he had had worse before. At least he thought he did.

Damn, Duo wasn't going to let him live this down once he found out if he hadn't already.

"You know, if I wasn't happily engaged with my fiancé, I'd totally try and put some moves on you," Hannah chirped conversationally from behind him as she lathered aloe onto his back.

"What? Not even married and you're already thinking of other men?" Trowa spoke up from where he kept guard over his fiancé.

"That's matrimony!" Hannah replied.

"Then I'll have to make sure you don't look at other men…or make sure other men don't look at you," Trowa teased back though Solo thought he heard a bit of steel in the other's voice.

Pouring the green emitting spell of healing magic onto his torso, the blond said, "Don't look at me, I ain't interested."

"What? Trowa, am I losing my sex appeal?" Hannah pouted from behind him.

"Insulting my fiancé?" Trowa growled mockingly at the blond though Solo couldn't tell it was in jest. "When you're not flinching from every move you make, I'm going to have to teach you proper etiquette."

"Are you people fuckin' crazy?" Solo exclaimed.

"When you're a Gundam pilot, you kinda have to be a little bit mentally unstable," Trowa shrugged in answer.

"That explains a lot," Solo muttered under his breath. "I'm surrounded by a bunch of certifiable loonies!"

"And as Duo would say, 'and you wouldn't have us any other way,'" Trowa replied.

"When did'ya get so talkative?" Solo demanded. "Ain't ya suppose to be da quiet one or something?"

"I guess I bring out the best in him," Hannah said from behind with a giggle.

"I second that," Trowa added, pure adoration in his visible eye.

"Oh great, I'm right between two love birds," Solo groaned. Damn it, couldn't this spell heal any faster?!

An oppressive weight took hold of all them without warning and Solo felt a familiar chill race up his spine. Oh shit, he had felt this before…oh shit!

That seemed to energize him and undo the paralysis that seemed to have taken hold of everyone in the nearby vicinity. Ignoring the sting that seemed to engulf his entire body, he raced towards the stairs, summoning the shadows to back him up as he went. He didn't know if it would help, seeing what had happened the last time he had felt this force.

He could hear that he was being followed and he guessed that it was Trowa that was behind him. He'd try and tell the other to stay back but he wasn't in the mood right now to exercise his people skills.

He could feel that the force was coming from Duo and Quatre's room. He knew that the two were in there for magic lessons but what the fuck was going on to make what was suppose to be harmless lessons so dangerous?

Grabbing the door handle, Solo found himself receiving a shock and being flung to the wall opposite the door. His daze lasted only for a minute before he swore; there was a barrier around the room! Whether it was put there to keep people out or to keep something in, he did not know but right now it was keeping him from getting in there.

Flexing his fingers instinctively, he clawed at the barrier with his summoned shadows, slowly but surely ripping a hole while nearly tearing the door off its hinges. If anything, the presence of the force increased exponentially and Solo nearly found himself making friends with the floor, Trowa right beside him experiencing the same thing.

"That wasn't a good idea," Solo growled to himself, slowly forcing his head up to see just what was going on.

Hovering about a foot off the floor, ramrod straight, was none other than Duo, his face once again in that horrible visage of a skull, violet flames bellowing out of empty eye sockets. In front of him sat Quatre who remained motionless, looking as if he was completely unaffected by the sight before him, his eyes remaining firmly shut to emphasize it.

Suddenly, the two young men were flung up from their spots on the floor to slam up against the wall by a sudden burst of magical energy. The two remained pinned there as the horrific face of death turn towards them, glancing at them for a second before snorting and looking away.

The violet flames blazed as they set sight on the motionless Quatre and a very deep chuckle escaped from the skull's throat. Solo swallowed, fear coursing through his body and paralyzing him from doing anything. He had a bad feeling that his transformed friend was about to do something, most likely something horrible, to Quatre when a soft voice boomed out of nowhere.

"Get a grip, Duo!"

That voice sounded like Quatre yet the smaller blond hadn't opened his mouth at all. However, his eyes were open and beautiful blue eyes stared down Duo, a golden light radiating from them just daring the other to try something.

The violet flames flickered, as if Duo was blinking, and then their intensity died down somewhat until only a violet light was leaking out from the empty eye sockets. "Quatre?" Duo's visible jawbone cracked out and Solo winced at the clanking sounds the bone made. "What…?"

"You kinda lost control there my friend," Quatre spoke wryly, his mouth not moving at all. "Reign it in; I know you can do it."

Without warning, Solo found himself sliding down against the wall, the force that had been pinning him there gone. Pushing himself up on shaky legs, he continued to watch the spectacle that continued without pause in the room. Slowly, the violet light in Duo's eyes dimmed to blackness and then skin and muscle began creeping up along the skull. In an agonizing moment, those present watched as slowly Duo's facial features took shape and then as soon as the regressive transformation was complete, all oppressive magical energy vanished as if it had been snuffed out.

The moment the danger was gone, the golden light that covered Quatre, which was now noticeable and blatantly obvious, died out quickly and the blond whipped his head to a side to glare at both him and Trowa.

"What were you thinking taking down my shield?!" Quatre bellowed, looking very, very pissed off.

It was a little bit frightening, actually.

"Hey, I felt something going on up here and I thought it might be something bad," Solo defended himself, not dispelling his shadows. For some reason, he had the feeling that the danger wasn't completely gone…

"There was a reason I put a shield up," Quatre growled, "and it was more than just trying to make sure no magic escaped and caused some damage. I would appreciate it if you would repair it now and _leave_."

Solo gulped and pulled his shadows back, closing up the gaping hole that he had made in the transparent defense, the door to the room slamming shut all on its own. It took a minute for Solo to realize what he had just done but he found that he wasn't too eager to be getting back into that room anytime soon.

He felt someone tap his shoulder and he turned his head to a side to see a very ruffled Trowa looking at him pointedly. "Mind telling me what was going on in there?"

---

"Christ, what da fuck just happened?!" Duo moaned as he pressed the palm of his hand against his face. He felt completely zapped as if he had just run a marathon without pause or had just completed a weeklong solo mission into enemy territory.

"A little more than what I expected," Quatre admitted apologetically to him. "I didn't think we were going to get such an explosive show there. Nothing in what I've read or been told said that that would happen."

"Maybe a little warning next time?" Duo moaned in reply. Purple sparks of magical energy flared off of him irritably yet he paid that no mind. He was more concerned with clearing out the cobwebs that had showed up in his head. Despite the metaphorical cobwebs, he could hear that deep, sensual voice in his head, a remnant from the unexpected shove he had gotten right into the arms of Death.

_Why hello there, my little friend,_ the entity had chuckled. _Come for a visit, I presume? Or are you trying to practice?_

By Shinigami, the raw power that was there, it was scorching practically. And then he was consumed with it all…

But then there was the soothing, balm-like voice that belonged to Quatre which had led him back to the light, so to speak. Once he got over this though, he was really going to let his supposed friend have a piece of his mind. You just don't go shoving people into large blobs in the middle of some psychedelic world where the laws of physics didn't apply.

"Duo," Quatre admonished. "You need to get control. You're leaking magic out all over the place. Here…"

Mmm, that felt good… The throbbing headache that he hadn't known he had despite all the obvious signs faded to the back of his mind until it was no longer there and even though he still felt incredibly tired, he wasn't on the verge of collapsing into a boneless heap anymore. The green light that was coming from Quatre's hands, healing magic he had been told, slipped in through his closed shut eyelids but it wasn't offensive like regular ol' sunlight whose only purpose was to blind you.

"There," Quatre's soft voice commented. "That's better."

Apparently he wasn't "leaking" anymore because he now felt as if he was being filled up with something, most likely that magical energy he had been hearing about recently. It felt nice actually, as if he was being greeted by a loyal dog that was lapping at his hand. The previous exhaustion he was feeling was dissipating rapidly until he once again felt like a whirling bundle of energy.

"You need to get better control of your powers now," Quatre said. "That, though, is just a matter of will so it shouldn't be too hard in your case. We don't need you acting like a beacon for every Collective agent on the planet and in the Colonies."

"You can stop preachin', Quat," Duo sighed. "I got it, okay? Think we could call it quits for tonight?"

"Might as well," Quatre replied, sighing as well. "I'm going to need to find out just what the damage was…"

"The damage to what?" Duo perked up.

"Solo tore open my shield," Quatre explained, turning away from Duo as he dispelled said shield, something that the braided one only just realized was there. It was as if his awareness had increased tenfold… "There's no doubt in my mind that some of your energy escaped. Hopefully, no one looking for you felt any of it but knowing our luck, that's highly doubtful."

"So damage control, it is," Duo sighed. "I'd help but I'm new to this and all…"

"I'll teach you some shielding spells," Quatre assured him. "It's not really hard to conceal one's power as long as you know what to do."

"Care to start now?" Duo asked casually. "Better to start sooner than later, ya know…"

A loud rap on the door stopped all conversation and both young men froze, listening intently to what was going on the other side of the door.

"Winner? Maxwell? Open up!" they heard Wufei command. Unless you were used to listening to the Chinese individual, you wouldn't catch that subtle pitch in his voice that hinted at urgency. The two boys looked at one another and nodded, Quatre opening the door with a small spell to reveal a startled Wufei.

"What's up?" Duo spoke aloud, remaining exactly where he sat on the floor.

Instead of wasting time on slight chitchat, as Wufei usually wanted to do with Duo, he went straight to the point; something that also highlighted the gravity of whatever had the other worked up.

"I just got a call from Headquarters," Wufei stated. "Bryce is missing from his room. He's managed to escape custody."

Duo felt his whole world drop all around him and then regroup quickly as thoughts of Hilde's broken body flooded his mind. "What the hell happened?" he demanded. "How did they fuck up this time?!"

"Don't give me lip, Maxwell," Wufei growled. "Une's trying to figure that out but all the surveillance equipment in that part of the hospital was fried. No one knows who could have done it or how they did it. They don't even know how they got Bryce out of the building; the man's in a coma damn it! The only clues there are a burn mark on the wall and fried medical equipment."

"And you think he'll be coming after me if he isn't in a coma?" Duo asked dryly.

"You were the one to catch him," Wufei admitted. "However, at this time we don't even know if Bryce is still in a coma or not. The guards reported nothing strange occurring and there wasn't a sign of a scuffle in the room either outside of that burn mark."

"Well, fuck," Duo swore.


	15. We Have a Problem

Author's Note: Sorry about the delay but I've been recently hit with a bout of lethargy and found that I really can't bring myself to write at the moment. I know what I'm about to do and everything but I just haven't the motivation. Perhaps a few reviews might help? Anyway, KO, sorry about not letting you in the know about this but be patient. This is why I wrote so many chapters before posting. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

We Have a Problem

Bryce had to hand it to him; that braided bastard sure knew where to hide.

It was just pure genius; who would ever think to check out a tropical paradise as a hideout? Most people in his profession usually chose to go to rundown warehouses of the ghettos of major cities to hide out. At least coming to this place had both luxury and style.

He'd make a note of this to come to a place like this the next time he was fleeing from the authorities.

"Are you sure this guy is here, Bryce?" his timid assistant asked him, the man clasping his hands together and looking at their surroundings anxiously. "This doesn't seem right, not at all."

"Put a clamp on it, Dayton," Bryce ordered. "I've been told from a reliable source, my employer, that here is where we will find the bastard who arrested me. Now shut up before I decide to test my new weapon on you."

Dayton swallowed, his stress levels jumping up another level.

Taking in the tourist attractions, Bryce sneered. "What a gaudy place. Gift shops as far as the eye can see. Peh," he spat, his spit hitting the hot pavement. "If this is Pacifism, then I'd rather be at war."

---

It was a good thing that Duo and Quatre's room in the suite faced the west; that meant that the morning sun would have a big problem trying to interrupt their sleep. Unfortunately for Duo, Quatre was still an early morning rising and this fine morning, Duo hadn't gotten up early as he had done the previous day.

So that meant his much desired beauty sleep was interrupted by a certain blond that turned out to be a morning person.

Uhg…

The only thing that prevented Duo from maiming his good friend was the fact that one of the first things out of Quatre's mouth was about spells and that managed to penetrate the fog of sleep that held his mind captive.

It was mainly review and application of the shielding spells that he had gotten the blond to teach him about after their meltdown of a teaching session the previous evening. It took some time but he managed to erect a visible shield and received a hearty compliment from his "teacher," so to speak. Now that he had had a good night's rest, he found that he could access the stores of magical energy within him, power that he had known had definitely not been there before.

Of course, Quatre had to point out that they had always been there, just that he hadn't been aware of them. It was still too early in the morning to argue so Duo decided to let it slide in favor of getting some breakfast. First, though, Quatre forced him to take the shield down first and when he tried, he was immediately reprimanded for doing it the quick way with was also wrong.

Apparently, if you don't dispel the right way, the residual magic in the area will not only stick around but also continue to build up like plaque on pearly white teeth until the whole area was saturated with it. It would only become a problem, though, when he came back to that spot and tried another spell; the magic would then backlash and according to Quatre, that was no fun in anyway.

Damn this magical logic or whatever it was.

So after dispelling the right way, Duo found himself trudging down the stairs like a zombie, his destination none other than the coffee pot in the suite's kitchen. There had better be some java in that pot or he swore that heads were going to roll. He needed his caffeine induced pick-me-up like every other morning hating American.

Lo and behold as he entered the kitchen, he found Heero sitting at the nearby dining table, working dutifully on his brand new laptop, one that work had forced him to get after his old laptop from the wars had picked up a nasty computer virus. It wasn't as if the Japanese computer genius couldn't utterly destroy the virus but Une had used it as an excuse for him to get a new computer, at the taxpayers' expense of course, and that he would be regulated to a boring desk job if he didn't.

It had been a mighty battle of wills but ultimately Une had one out when her time of the month just happened to come about. Heero still had his laptop back in his apartment, though, virus free and everything. If you couldn't part Duo from his braid or Wufei from his prized "katana," a family heirloom that was all that was left of his family from L5, then you couldn't part Heero from his beloved laptop.

At the moment though, Duo was not in the mental capacity to be chatting up a storm with his best friend…hmm, now that Solo was back, that position was in kinda a limbo, wasn't it? Anyway, he needed his coffee first and Shinigami bless the soul who had a fresh pot just waiting there to be consumed.

While the braided one had a sweet tooth, he enjoyed drinking his coffee black, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Something about the bitterness of just plain black coffee, he couldn't really explain it.

It was only after half a cup of Joe and a refilling of it that Duo took a seat at the table, balancing the chair on its back legs, and began with the usual morning ritual of talking to Heero.

"Workin' hard or hardly working?" he spoke up cheekily, not in the least bit surprised that Heero made no sign to say that he was paying any attention. When Heero didn't make the effort to even grunt, Duo tried once again to get the other to say something. "What'cha workin' on Heero? Not looking up porn again, are ya?"

Heero snorted. "I'm cross-checking every database in both the Sphere and Colonies for any sign of Bryce," he stated, his fingers not slowing down from their fast rate dance on the keyboard. "So far I've found nothing."

Well that certainly darkened the mood. Duo hadn't wanted to think of Bryce this early in the morning; too many bad memories and whatnot.

Heero, having looked up after a few minutes of silence, too long considering how Duo usually liked to talk a lot (especially while Heero was on his laptop), he took the time to look at Duo full value noticing how his eyes had glazed over as though lost in thought. It was safe to say that he already knew why Duo had joined the Preventers in the first place, having lost Hilde to a couple of Bryce's men.

It wasn't that he had hated the girl, just that he hated how she always had Duo's attention on her. But he had never expected her to die. Maybe get some sense knocked into her head or maybe a bullet in the foot but he never had wished death on her. Looking at Duo now though, her death had to have really hurt him for him to be this worked up and gloomy.

Shocked at not hearing the constant clacking, Duo looked up, confused at seeing Heero just staring at him as if peering into his soul.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" Duo asked, scrubbing at his mouth with a hand. "C'mon, speak to me Heero!"

Heero nearly snorted at the ridiculousness of it all. To think he had been worried for a second. Then again, perhaps that worry was justified. Still, his mind ran through all the options set before him and one of them appealed to him much to his surprise.

Play along. Something simple as that. It hadn't occurred to him to do something like that, not even back when they were going through the motions at Preventers Headquarters. This opportunity, this whatever it was, was just too good to pass up. Besides it might get him in on Duo's good side. It seemed like he hadn't been on it since this whole situation started up…

"Yes," he stated, wincing internally at his monotone.

Duo frowned. "Yes…what?"

Heero swallowed, clearly out of his league. He had rarely, if ever, teased one of his comrades before. To tell the truth, he had a much easier time reading files in binary on his computer than he did with casual social interactions. With computers, the possibilities were limited but with other people, there were so many things that could happen and just the thought that he could be doing something wrong made his throat dry.

Steeling his nerve, he said, "Yes, you have something on your face."

"Really? Where?" Duo demanded, increasing the intensity of his scrubbing. "Did I get it?" he asked, pulling his hand away and leaning closer to the Japanese youth.

Heero swallowed nervously. "No," he said, his mouth completely dry.

"Aw man!" Duo complained as he brought his hand back to his face to scrubbed at the nonexistent "thing" on his face. "How 'bout now?"

"Maybe I should do it?" he suggested shakily even though to the untrained eye his voice didn't shake.

"Would you?" Duo asked, his eyes shining with hope.

Reaching over, Heero took hold of Duo's chin to hold his head steady. Here it was, the point of no return, he thought. It was time to practice what he always preached during the wars: doing what his emotions told him to do. Slowly he leaned in, taking in Duo's features, admiring those newly colored violet eyes that just seemed to fit the braided pilot much more than his old cobalt blue. The distance was closing quickly; a foot, half a foot, three inches, one inch…

"What are you doing Yuy?" a newly awoke Chang Wufei interrupted from where he stood in the doorway. His dark eyes were bulging, nearly to the point that they would pop out of his head, and there was a small hint of red that was just barely visible from his nostrils.

Heero jerked back, releasing Duo's chin simultaneously, and immediately getting back to his laptop, cursing the Chinese pilot as he glared at him indirectly from where he sat. He had been so close…

"Oh, hey Wuffers!" Duo greeted. "Heero was just helping me out with something."

"It's Wufei and just what was he trying to do?" Wufei demanded. "Was it something that involved him sucking your face off with his mouth?"

"Now hold on there for a minute," Duo said, rising up to the defense of the only other Asian in the vicinity. "I had something on my face and he was just going to clean it off was all. Man, Wuffers, ya gotta get your thoughts out of the gutter."

"My thoughts?!" Wufei gaped shrilly. "The only person who needs to do that is you!"

"Aw, but you love me like that," Duo pouted goodheartedly. "Don't bother denying it."

"Maxwell," Wufei began to growl before deflating. "It's too early in the morning for this," he grumbled instead as he stomped his way over to the coffee pot. It wasn't often that he drank coffee but on those rare occasions, he did but only when he needed the caffeine rush.

All the while, Heero continued to attack his keyboard with nimble fingers, his cheeks pink in embarrassment.

---

Heights had never been a worry for the pale skinned Morrigu. In fact, they were his friend. They protected him when he was taunted and bullied by those who didn't understand, gave him a vantage point in which to strike down on his victims with unholy wrath, and gave him just the right amount of obstruction that few barely knew he was there.

At the moment, he was using a sight spell, one that allowed him to see objects from far away distances and boy was the sight he was spying on a nice one.

He could see the Death Mage, visible only from the window of the suite he was hiding out in, but that was all Morrigu needed in order to admire him. He licked his lips, fantasies of what he could do to that body as well as what it could do to him played in his mind but he was good at being a mental multitasker. He was in no way inhibited by his raunchy thoughts as he watched the Death Mage chat with one his bodyguards.

His eyes narrowed as the bodyguard leaned in close to his braided prey and then abruptly pull away, the Death Mage speaking to someone just out of sight. Hmm, this was an interesting development. If he recalled correctly, hadn't there been another bodyguard with the Mage at the beach the day previous? He distinctively recalled there being long blond hair as the other was definitely a male.

He could tell by the broad shoulders and the Adam's apple that the blond bodyguard had had and he could only have seen the latter with the farsight spell due to how far away he had been at the time. So was his Mage into polygamy or was there something else going on? He knew the signs of attraction and arousal anywhere, he was a master of sexuality after all, and he knew with all his knowledge that there was something up.

Something that could be exploited.

First, he had to figure out just what it was. No sense in rushing into something with the wrong idea. Oh how he loved games of seduction. Few knew that such games began long before any intimacy or passion ever entered the equation but he truly was an expert in his craft and he found himself licking his lips in anticipation.

He would have the Death Mage all to himself but he had to be careful about it. Not only did he have at least one protective bodyguard nearby, he also had Janus' orders to aid that second-rate punk Bryce. Of course, the other thing he was good at was finding loopholes; Xavien hadn't told him that he had to lead Bryce to the Death Mage immediately…

In the meantime, he had all the time in the world to observe his latest quarry and he was planning on savoring every moment he would have that flesh at his disposal.

Absolutely delicious.

---

Annoyance was the first thing on Trowa's mind when Wufei barged into his room that morning. It served the Chinese youth right when he immediately backed out of the room, holding his nose tightly as he realized that there were two naked people in here.

And one of them was female.

Only taking enough time to pull on some pants, Trowa marched out of the room to confront his privacy invader, a look of displeasure painted onto his face. Standing nearby was Wufei who was still clutching at his nose, trying to fend off a probable nosebleed. At this point in time, Trowa didn't really care about the other's suffering; his alone time with his fiancé had just been interrupted and that was not okay in his books.

"What?" the unibanged young man asked, his eyes stern. He didn't say anything else than that word; he didn't need to say anything else.

"Problem," Wufei huffed, looking away from the other man.

Trowa frowned when the other gave no other information. "What problem?" he demanded.

Wufei looked over at him, his dark eyes uncertain and troubled. He opened his mouth once but then closed it without saying anything. Trowa's frown became more pronounced but it wasn't because of what had just happened a minute ago. No, he was starting to actually get a bit worried; what kind of problem was it that Wufei had trouble speaking about? Was it a personal problem?

Finally, Wufei blurted it all out in a rush. "I believe we have a problem with Yuy, Maxwell, and Solo."

"What kind of problem?" Trowa asked gently, using a tone that he used with skittish circus animals.

"It has become clear to me that Yuy…likes Maxwell," Wufei managed to say.

"Of course Heero likes Duo," Trowa nearly snorted. "They are best friends."

"It's not that kind of like," Wufei stated, giving Trowa a meaningful look that spoke volumes.

Trowa's eyes widened slightly. "Oh, you mean _that_. That's…a bit odd. But what does this have to do with Solo?"

Wufei grumbled as he folded his arms over his chest having managed to conquer his near nose bleed. "I've managed to also pick up that our new…comrade also has an attraction to our mutual friend."

Now Trowa understood. "So what you're saying is that there's a love triangle?"

"Don't use that word!" Wufei hissed, looking frantically around at their surroundings. "And yes, that is exactly what I mean."

"And you're worried about this, why?" Trowa asked.

"I don't like the thought of our cover being blown to our most recent enemies all because of an overcomplicated relationship," Wufei snapped. "And it just has to be Maxwell who's at the center of it, the one person who is in the most danger!"

He was right, not that Trowa would say that out loud or anything.

"So what do you propose we do?" Trowa asked, also crossing his arms. "If what you say is true and both Heero and Solo are attracted to Duo and seeing as how those two are always at each other's throats, then how are _we_ going to deal with this?"

"I…don't know," Wufei muttered under his breath. "That's why I came to you and not Winner."

"Oh? And what do I have that Quatre doesn't?" Trowa asked, his curiosity piqued.

"A relationship," Wufei stated immediately.

"What? Just because I'm currently engaged doesn't mean I'm better at such things," Trowa argued.

"But you do love your fiancé, yes?" Wufei said quietly, his voice soft and curiously distant. "You know what it is like…to be in love, don't you?"

Trowa clamped his mouth shut at that. Whether it was from acknowledging Wufei or from taking offense, it will never be known. Subtly tightening his crossed arms, he said, "So you have any ideas then?"

Now it was Wufei's turn to frown. "Me? I thought you'd have an inkling of one."

Trowa rolled his eyes at that. "Before now, I wasn't that aware of your love triangle—"

"Barton!" Wufei hissed warningly.

"Excuse me, your triangle, it hadn't really bothered me," he continued. "But now that it has been brought to my attention just now, you honestly believe that I already have a plan to deal with it?"

Wufei's pleading look was all the answer that he needed.

Raising a hand up to press against his forehead and rub his temples. Just because he actually had a _healthy_ relationship didn't mean that he was some kind of therapist. Who did these people take him for?

"Wufei, despite the fact that I am affianced, what makes you think I would know what to do? I'm a guy!"

Wufei paused at that. "Good point. Maybe your woman can come up with something."

"Hold up," Trowa intervened, grabbing Wufei and pulling him back. "First thing is first, she is not 'my woman.' Second, I'm not letting her get caught up into all this as much as I possibly can. It's bad enough that she even knows Duo. I don't want her to become a target, alright?"

"So what do you propose as an alternative?" Wufei demanded?

"Besides just letting this play out on its own?" Trowa said sarcastically. "I don't know, how about getting one of them into a relationship with Duo?"

"Great idea, Barton!" Wufei exclaimed. "Now, how do we go about doing that?"

Trowa had the sudden urge to hit his head against the nearest wall repeatedly.

---

Slowly, a figure backed away from their hiding place, leaving the two males to their discussion.

"Is that what you think?" a soft voice asked into the air.

---

"You look pissy," Solo commented from his sprawled out position on the couch as he took note of Heero. "That computer of yours crash or something?"

Heero gave him a scowl, definitely not in the mood to chat. However, he didn't stomp off as the blond was expecting him to do, which just suited him fine. More time to annoy was all.

"You're pissy alright," he mock-sighed. "The murder ya have in your eyes was greater than it was yesterday. Ya ain't gonna go all prissy on me now, are ya? Not gonna do things with your damn pinkie out, or are ya?"

"Shut up," Heero snapped out, his tone making it sound more like a statement.

Solo blinked at that. "Wow, he speaks!"

"Don't you ever shut up?" the Japanese pilot demanded, his trigger finger getting itchy. Good thing he didn't have his gun on him…

"When I want to," Solo shrugged. "But what would be da point of doin' that now?"

Heero's eyes narrowed and he stomped over to the lazy blond. "I don't like you," he stated, the fury in his eyes keeping the other quiet. "I don't like you when you're being immature. I don't like you when you talk. I don't like you when you even look at Duo. He is mine, got that?"

Only Solo had the gall to snort at the declaration. "He's yours now?" he drawled out. "I don't think so," he continued, suddenly becoming dead serious. "You think you're so good 'cause you're one of them Gundam pilots. You think that's all ya need ta get Duo ta like ya? You obviously don't know him and I'm not gonna let ya have him without a fight."

Heero's glare intensified at the blond's audacity.

Solo only smirked back maliciously. "That all ya got?" he quipped. "I've gotten worse looks before; you don't scare me one bit."

Unseen, Solo had stuffed his hands beneath his body, the appendages shaking, an obvious betrayal of what he was really feeling. He had never been given such a look of unadulterated hatred before and he was a bit unnerved by it. Of course he wasn't about to let his latest rival know that. Meanwhile, his smirk only grew in contrast to his own rush of fear.

"What do ya really know of Duo anyway?" he challenged. "Not much I bet. All you probably know is what he shows ya."

"Oh, and you would know?" Heero scorned.

"I fuckin' taught him everything he fuckin' knows," Solo retorted.

"Everything?" Heero stated, raising a dubious eyebrow.

Solo paused at that, trying to figure out what it meant and he caught on quickly. Damn, Duo had been a Gundam pilot too, hadn't he? Kinda forgot about that there for a bit.

"Okay, not everything," he admitted out loud. "But at least I never tried ta kill him…even if he got on my last nerve."

"Hn," Heero chuckled, an identical smirk growing on his face. "You're just as flimsy as I am."

"Oh, so you admit it?" Solo retorted cheekily.

Heero blinked and then scowled. Damn, he hadn't caught himself, hell he hadn't known that he had said it until it had been pointed out to him. If this had really been a war situation, a mistake like that would have cost him. He could only blame Duo for this, Duo with his lighthearted charms and his…his…

Damn it, he was getting soft.

"It's all right, no biggie," Solo shrugged. "We can't all be perfect but I can be drop dead sexy!"

Heero sneered in disgust. "You're just interested in him for his body," he accused.

Solo looked affronted by that but he quickly recovered. "I ain't a slut, dickwad. Speak for yourself why don't'cha? At least I have my priorities straight."

"You? Priorities?" Heero snorted. "Don't make me laugh."

Solo raised an eyebrow. "Ya know, Duo's just like me," he said simply. "And if you can't accept someone like me, how are ya gonna accept Duo?"

"Duo's nothing like you."

"Then you don't know Duo."

Solo could tell that he was royally pissing the other off but all he could feel was an indescribable urge to defend Duo from this guy. There…there was something that wasn't right about him, the blond could feel it. Sure, Duo had told him that all the Gundam pilots, including him, weren't completely in their right minds but Solo hadn't minded the others since they seemed to have some control over themselves.

This guy, Heero, no matter what he looked or seemed like, at this moment he could see just how unstable he was. Sure he could bury it and make it seem like he was in perfect control but it was a mask, nothing more, nothing less, the same kind that Duo wore…

He paused in his thoughts. Duo…not being Duo? That was a disturbing thought. Then again, it would explain the more refined bravado and sudden motormouth he had when he remembered a boy who was brash and as silent as a cat, only speaking up when he needed something or wanted a little attention. It was more than an interesting theory and he'd have to be sure to try it out some time but in the meantime he had to deal with this guy.

Easier said than done.

With merely a flick of his fingers, he cast his spell and slipped Heero's shadow right out from under him, causing the other to stumble backwards and nearly windmill his arms.

"Have fun," Solo chuckled as he instructed the freed shadow to make a pest of itself, Heero having no choice but to go after it. For some reason, it felt like he couldn't be too far away from it…

Neither of them saw a vanishing end of a braid whipping around the corner of a door.


	16. Helping Hands in Unlikely Places

Author's Note: Once again, sorry for the wait but life gets in the way and there's so much school work and yadda yadda yadda. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

Helping Hands in Unlikely Places

Sneaking out of the suite had been easy. Then again, in and out infiltrations had always been his forte; it had been Trowa who did the long-term infiltrations so while the tallest of the pilots usually had permission to be where he was, Duo himself usually didn't and thus resorted to sneaking around to complete his objectives.

Was it any wonder that he was now just trudging down the hallway on one of the upper floors in the _pink_ hotel that Quatre was making them stay in?

_I don't like you._

He winced at the memory of that sentence. He knew that there was some tension between his two best friends (you'd have to be blind not to see it) but he hadn't known the extent of it. Heero wasn't one who hated. Either he liked you or he didn't like you and if it was the latter, he'd usually kill you.

It was the closet that Heero ever got to hate, Duo would know. But the fact that he said it to Solo and the blond's response…

_You obviously don't know him…_

Right there in a nutshell, Solo had summed up all the relationships that he had with the other pilots. They didn't know him, didn't really know him. They knew the mask but not what was under it. He himself had never voiced the thought aloud in fear that saying it would make it more real but hearing Solo say it just now had the same effect.

Stopping in front of a hallway mirror, he stared into it, stared straight into the reflection of his thinned face with its wicked looking violet eyes and the slightly chiseled features. Nothing at all what a streetrat from L2 looked like.

_You're just interested in him for his body._

To think that Heero accusing his best friend from childhood, or whatever you want to call it. He wasn't as stupid or as oblivious as people thought of him as; he had seen the ways Heero had been looking at him ever since the wars. He knew what desire, attraction, and longing were. He had seen it on his face and others, from orphans who would watch one of their own be adopted into a family and taken away to the hookers that lined the streets of L2, selling themselves to men who only wanted them out of lust.

He hadn't wanted to encourage it so he just pretended that he wasn't seeing it, blocking out and ignoring the obvious hints and trying to keep everything at a platonic level. But Heero…the guy hadn't changed as much as people thought. Beneath that softer exterior was still the cold and unapproachable Perfect Solider. Duo really doubted that the other knew the difference from the warm and fuzzy feelings that accompanied love or the hot passions that came with lust. Emotionally, the guy was underdeveloped, a kid in a way.

He may have been a sucker for punishment but he knew that Heero, lost in the translation from physical sensation to emotional perception, wasn't the kind of person he wanted as a possible spouse. When he came to a problem, Heero would just destroy it or beat it into submission. What was there to say that the Japanese pilot wouldn't beat him if he just put his foot down on a sensitive topic?

He was not going to get into a cycle of abuse, not with someone he considered a friend.

_Ya know, Duo's just like me._

_Duo's nothing like you._

_Then you don't know Duo._

And Solo did, huh, he thought dryly. He sighed out loud, his eyes never leaving his reflection. He wasn't the same little streetrat who had…

Here he cut off his thoughts prematurely as a particular memory popped up in his head, making his cheeks blush dark red. He only knew that last bit because he was still in front of a mirror, remember? No he wasn't going to think about it, not even give it any attent—

_I wanna marry you Solo! Not some dumb broad!_

Goddamn it.

Now where had that come from? He thought he had repressed most of the memories involved with Solo's supposed death. A deep chuckle that reverberated in his head was all the answer that he needed.

"Damn it, Death," he growled quietly, glaring into his reflection. The reflection itself was not in the same position as the figure of Duo that was now positioned against the reflected wall and not up close as Duo physically was.

_You are so easy to rile up, you know that?_ Death chuckled. _You may not want to remember the past but I remember it well, my little friend._

"Oh, so you're a practical joker now?" Duo retorted, speaking out loud with his reflection.

_I learned from the best_, Death replied, giving Duo a look that implied just who the best was.

"George Carlin? Richard Pryor?" Duo threw out.

_No, they were comedians, not practical jokers,_ Death admonished.

"Whatever," Duo rolled his eyes, not paying attention to the nearby hotel cleaning lady who was giving him disturbed looks.

_You seem to be in a bit of a pickle, Duo,_ Death said without warning, the reflection that he had taken over pushing itself off the wall it was leaning on and moving closer to Duo.

"So you've been paying attention, huh?" Duo groused before blinking at something. "Hey, you called me by my name!"

_You're getting off the subject,_ Death said, not one to be diverted.

"Fine, what do you suggest I do then, O Great One?" Duo asked sarcastically, really not wanting to continue talking about what he thought they were talking about.

_Flattery will get you everywhere,_ Death teased. _There is only one solution to your problems, my little friend. Confront both of your would-be suitors and tell them what you want._

"And if that doesn't work?" Duo challenged.

_Do what you do best,_ Death shrugged with Duo's reflected shoulders. _Improvise._

As the reflection settled back into just that, a reflection complete with the incredulous expression on his face, Duo could only stare, not seeing himself for a moment before snorted and clasping his hands behind his head, marching off.

"Yeah, that really helps," he grumbled, still unaware of the cleaning lady who was regarding him with strange looks.

---

Instead of going back to the suite and putting Death's suggestion to good use, Duo instead traveled down to the lobby, becoming momentarily distracted by a gift shop near the exit. Shrugging since he had nothing better to do, he went into the shop, inspecting all the wares and trinkets that caught his eye.

While in the midst of staring at a small, pocket-sized booklet entitled _Karma Sutra_, he felt someone approach him from behind. Frowning at the sensation of the hairs rising on the back of his neck, he tried to get a look at the person's reflection on the plastic display case to no avail.

So pretended that he wasn't a paranoid son of a bitch with an itchy trigger finger, he turned around and found himself coming face to chest with a very familiar person. A soft, bedroom type voice chuckled down at him but Duo immediately recognized it.

"Hey, it's you!" he nearly exclaimed. "Man don't sneak up on me like that," he said, putting a hand over his heart as if to steady it, the reality being that his heart was beating normally. "You almost scared me to death!"

"My apologies," the tall man from the beach chuckled. "I thought your braid looked familiar. What a small world it is, eh?"

"Indeed," Duo agreed. "Thanks again for the ice cream. You really saved my butt on that one."

"It was no big deal," the pale man shrugged. "But, if you would like to really thank me, you can do so by giving me your name and allowing me to buy you a drink. A coffee, a shake, it doesn't matter."

Duo raised his eyebrows at this. The guy was kinda laying it on thick, wasn't he? Still, he supposed, it'd be nice to talk to someone he didn't see everyday…

"Duo Maxwell," he said, holding his hand out, "I run and hide but never tell a lie."

Instead of taking the offered hand in the way Duo meant him to, the man instead took it like it was something delicate and bent down to plant a light kiss on the back of it, making Duo blush brightly.

"Call me…Morrigu," the man said, his voice deepening in a way that nearly sent all the blood in the braided one's body down south. "Duo Maxwell," he said next, as if tasting the name. "Not a very common name but it suits you somehow. Very well, Duo Maxwell, let us have that drink."

A few minutes later, Duo found himself in the hotel's dining room at a table waiting for a strawberry milkshake while Morrigu entertained himself with a glass of wine.

"Don't you think it's a bit early to be drinking?" he asked skeptically at the pale man. "It's not even noon."

Pausing before taking his first sip, he pointed with one of his fingers that were gripped around the delicate glass towards a clock on the wall. The very second Duo looked at the clock, the minute hand clicked up over the twelve on the clock face, a low ding crying out the time. It was fucking noon…

"I saw that in a film, once," Morrigu commented after taking a sip. "I forget the name of it but it involved an alcoholic, old woman and a fitness obsessed mother."

"Spanglish…" Duo said unconsciously, blinking when he realized he had just spoken out loud. Adding quickly, he said, "It was a cute movie, nothing to write home about though."

"So, Mr. Maxwell, what brings you here to this wealthy place?" Morrigu asked, setting his glass down and clasping his hands together. "Not many can afford to stay here."

"You can call me Duo," he said quickly, "and I'm just here with some friends. You know, out enjoying paradise and whatnot."

"Paradise," Morrigu sighed. "No other place on Earth like that. Still, this gets close."

"Uh huh," Duo agreed, his milkshake finally being placed in front of him. Oh sweet, creamy goodness!

Morrigu merely chuckled as he watched the braided one attack his frozen treat, a sensuous tongue licking at his lips.

"Aah…" Duo sighed as he pulled back from the shake just before he could get brain freeze. It had taken a lot of time and a lot of experience before he could figure just where his threshold laid and then slowly increased it. Was he a glutton for punishment or what?

"You're just like a little kid," Morrigu commented, taking another sip of his wine.

"Where I come from, you didn't get to have one of these," Duo replied though he didn't seem to be aware that he was letting his lips flap off with so much information.

Morrigu instead changed the topic. "So how is your time on this beautiful island going? Back on the beach or doing something more fun, perhaps?"

"Not really," Duo sighed, resting his head on a hand propped up on his elbow. "My friends are a bit…overprotective right now. Had to sneak out just to get this far. But I know they care for me but the least they could do is give me some space."

"Hm," Morrigu hummed. "I can see why they would be that way…but it doesn't seem like that's all. You can tell me, if you want."

Duo squirmed in his seat uncomfortably, buying himself some time by taking a swig of his shake. "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything," he finally sighed. "I mean, you're not my therapist or anything and I'm probably just dragging ya down. What about you? What brings a guy like you to a place like this?"

Morrigu seemed surprised by this sudden turn in the conversation but he was quick to recover. "Oh, I'm here on vacation. You know, see the sights, get a tan perhaps."

"You don't seem to be doing good on either of those," Duo chuckled. "You're still as pale as you were from yesterday and what kind of sights would you find in a hotel giftshop?"

"Maybe what I consider sights is not the same thing as yours," Morrigu countered.

"Oh I get it, you're here for the chicks!" Duo declared.

"Guilty," Morrigu laughed, holding his hands up in mock surrender.

"Oh really?" Duo drawled out. "What was with the hand thing earlier?"

"I thought you had me pegged," Morrigu teased. "I swing both ways."

"So you must have a lot of experience," Duo said. Then a thought occurred to him. "Say, mind if I ask you a question?"

"Not at all," Morrigu replied.

Taking a sip of his shake, Duo got himself ready to try and make this seem like he was no way involved with what he was asking. "What would you do if you had two people wanting you?"

"A love triangle?" Morrigu asked, trying to clarify. Duo's slight blush was all he needed. "Depends," he said. "You want me to give you an honest answer or one of those overly sappy ones?"

"Honest please," Duo said.

Morrigu smiled dreamily. "Sleep with both of them and choose the one that's better in bed."

It was a good thing that Duo hadn't been drinking from his shake at that time but he nevertheless exhaled his breath in a sputter. Getting a hold of himself, he croaked out, "I didn't hear what you just said."

"You heard me," Morrigu countered, a sneaky grin on his face.

"Perfect, of all the people to ask I get a pervert," Duo grumbled.

"You wanted an honest answer," Morrigu shrugged, sipping his wine. "I just gave it to you at your request."

Looking down at his half eaten shake, Duo felt a sudden loss in appetite. Maybe it was from hearing an answer he didn't want to hear or maybe he was just getting too wrapped up into this. Or maybe cause he was getting the feeling the rest of the guys had noticed he was missing by now, he didn't know quite why about that last one.

Maybe it was a good idea to get on back up there now and enjoy his time in isolation. Looking out a window, he found himself longing to go out there and enjoy the sun. It truly was cruel that here he was in a magnificent place and he couldn't enjoy any of it.

Pushing his shake away, he sighed as he stood up. "Thanks for stickin' around man, but I need to be going."

"No problem," Morrigu said, waving the matter away. "The only regret I have is that I'll be deprived of your company."

Duo looked at him oddly. "You're a strange…tall man, you know that?"

"So I've been told," Morrigu said. "See you around…Duo…"

By the time Duo had vanished from sight, Morrigu threw the rest of his glass down his throat, not even wincing as the alcohol burned his throat. "So scrumptious," he grinned, already impatient to see his braided prey again.

---

They hadn't known he was gone and that was fine with Duo.

Solo and Heero were in the middle of a stare off, Wufei had closeted himself up with Trowa and Hannah for some reason, and Quatre was reading a newspaper, sipping up a cup of Joe like it was any ordinary day.

And the fact remained that they hadn't known he was gone.

Guess he wasn't losing his touch after all.

As soon as he had entered the kitchen, Quatre seemed to perk up immediately and look at him. "Haven't been causing any trouble, have you?" the blond enquired but the braided one could tell it was all in jest as the other had a very large grin on his face.

"Maayyybbbeeeee," Duo drawled out as he took a seat across from Quatre. "Gotta keep in practice ya know," he continued. "I might get rusty."

Quatre only chuckled as he set his paper aside. "Feel like getting out of here for a bit?"

He couldn't have gotten his attention any faster. "Do I!" Duo exclaimed. "I'm dying up in here! It's like it's a fuckin' warzone of something!"

"I noticed that too," Quatre said. "How's about a swim? That ought to cool some of us off."

Taking a glance towards the room that Solo and Heero were nonverbally duking it out. He didn't think that anything was going to cool them off and he didn't even have a good look at them!

"Maybe we can take Wuffers and Trowa," he said. Pausing, he added, "And Hannah. We need to make it so that we all don't look gay."

Quatre spewed out his coffee, coughing as he simultaneously laughed. "Where…do you come up with…that?" he snorted out as he covered his nose.

"Don't tell me it went out your nose!" Duo howled as he leaned his chair back, feet on the table to keep him balanced.

Rapid footsteps were covered up by the laughter but in a few seconds, both Solo and Heero had entered, searching for any threat having not registered the noise as joyous. However, the misunderstanding was cleared up as soon as the two realized what was going on, to an extent, but only Solo seemed amused by it as he crossed his arms in mock-sternness.

"What's so funny?" he demanded. "Someone tell a joke or something?"

"You…you just…had ta be there…for it!" Duo guffawed, wiping a tear from his eye. "Haaahhhhhh…that was good."

"I need a tissue," Quatre chuckled though his voice had an odd nasally tone to it. "Excuse me."

As the shorter blond hobbled out, his sides still shaking with suppressed laughter, Solo watched him with a raised eyebrow before turning back to Duo. "Musta been a funny joke," he mumbled, disappointed that he missed it. Then looking at Duo hopefully, he asked, "Can ya tell it again?"

"Sorry, ya just had ta be there," Duo finished chuckling, setting his chair back down properly.

"Aw, don't be like that," Solo pouted. "Tell ya what, I'll tell a joke. What has one hundred forty-two teeth and restrains the Incredible Hulk?"

Duo stared at the blond blankly. "I have no idea."

Solo smirked wickedly. "My zipper."

Duo blinked at that before it finally hit him. "Oh God, Solo! That's…ahhg!"

Heero gave the cheeky blond a look of distain, repulsed by the dirty joke. It was obvious to anyone that he was not amused.

"Just for that, you're grounded!" Duo declared, also not amused.

"Grounded?" Solo snorted. "Why? It ain't like we go anywhere."

"Duo and I were just discussing about going out for a bit," Quatre piped up, returning. "Looks like you weren't being on your best behavior," he chided.

"What? Aw, c'mon!" Solo whined, attempting to give Duo the puppy dog eyes. "Don't leave me here with Silent-as-a-Rock over here!"

Listening in on this, Heero perked up though to the untrained eye you wouldn't notice it. While he disagreed with Duo going out of the hotel suite, right now he was being provided an opportunity to be alone with him. He had confidence that he could at least do that and get Quatre out of the picture long enough to…

The shutting of a nearby door broke him out of his reverie. Immediately he noticed that both Duo and Quatre were gone and Solo was sitting on a chair pouting like a child. Had they left already?!

Spinning on his heel, he made to go after them only to find that he couldn't take a step forward.

"Oh no ya don't!" Solo snapped. "If I have ta suffer, I'm taking as many people as I can with me!"

Shadows licking about on his shoed feet, Heero gave the other a scathing death glare and balled his hands into fists. He was not going to let this moron get away with this…

---

It was the sound of something shattering that caused the other two remaining pilots to resurface and the scene that Wufei and Trowa came across was almost mindboggling for the two.

Before them was a scratched up Heero who was currently fighting with his own shadow, the dark shape taking whatever the abnormally strong Japanese pilot could dish out and returning blow for blow. Propping himself up against a counter was a scuffed up Solo who had the makings of a black eye and had an arm pressed up against his ribs.

It was the ferocity that Heero was displaying in his strikes to this shadow being that caused the other two pilots to pause, watching as the Japanese pilot deliver a painful looking jackhammer into the shadow's back, the shadow in turn ramming into Heero and forcing him into the counter right next to Solo.

The blond only scuttled away to give more room for the two fighters, a cheeky grin splitting his face nearly in half.

Kicking his leg up, Heero got the shadow right in the groin area and continued to throw his leg upwards, forcing the shadow to go up and over Heero to splatter against the floor of the kitchen only to slowly reform into a silhouette form of Heero.

Still disbelieving his eyes, Wufei barked, "What is all this?!"

Looking up, finally noticing they had company, Solo was the first to answer, "He started it."

Since he was looking at the two of them, Heero wasn't able to bring up a defense in time to stop the shadow being from tackling him over the counter and onto the floor.

"Well I'm ending it," Trowa stated as he came to Heero's aid, landing a swift kick into the shadow's chin, forcing its head to go up. Grabbing the shadowy head, Trowa gave it a deft twist, "breaking" its neck and shoving it off Heero.

"Aw, you guys are no fun," Solo pouted as he dispelled the shadow, knowing that if he let it continue, the pilots would just team up against it three-to-one and that wasn't any fun. Shoving himself away from the counter, the blond trudged over to a still standing chair and plopped down onto it, a green light emanating from his hand just over his ribs. "Damn, I think ya broke a rib," the blond griped.

Heero only glared at the other, his nostrils flaring. "I only cracked it. You should feel lucky."

"Fuck you," Solo replied, leveling his own glare at the other.

"Both of you shut up!" Wufei commanded, only now taking in the damage from the scuffle. A chair that was broken into so many pieces that it was irreparable, a visible dent in a wall, and the hotel's decorative pictures all hanging crooked on the wall was what greeted him. The Chinese young adult slowly developed a tic in his eye. "What are you two? Children?"

"He blocked my way," Heero accused. "He prevented me from going after Duo and Quatre."

"Wait, what about Duo and Quatre?" Trowa asked, frowning.

"They left some time ago," Solo explained, wincing as he was stabbed with a flash of sharp pain. "They wanted to go somewhere or something."

The two levelheaded pilots looked up at each other, not pleased with that decision. Even though Quatre was with the braided pilot, neither of the two thought it was a good idea for the latter to be out and about on the town.

Then the two of them caught Heero smirking at Solo, obviously enjoying the other's pain, and then saw the blond stick his tongue out at the other childishly. Heero seemed to have a low tolerance for the gesture and nearly lunged at Solo only to be caught by Trowa.

The two pilots looked at each other again, each sending the same message. They were trying to hook one of these two up with Duo? Perhaps it would be better if they kept both of them _away_ from their mutual friend.

Sighing, Trowa said, "I'll stay here with these two geniuses. Wufei, you go out and find where Quatre and Duo are and stick close to them. They probably aren't going to want to be coming back anytime soon so just do what you can."

Nodding in gratitude that the other pilot was volunteering to do the more unpleasant task, the Chinese pilot left as soon as he could so as not to let Trowa have any second thoughts.

As soon was Wufei was gone, Trowa leveled a blank stare at the other two in the room who actually froze in the midst of their antics. With a malicious smile, Trowa said, "I think it's time we got all that excess energy out of you two. How about you start by fixing up the kitchen? I wouldn't want for Quatre to have to pay for your mess…"


	17. Out on the Town

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language, violence, death

Out on the Town

There was sun, sweat, and gorgeous babes everywhere.

For any male with regular levels of testosterone, it was a heaven on earth kind of thing.

Revealing swimsuits, a noticeable lack of clothing, tans that weren't too dark yet not too light and you had a recipe for the makings of an orgy. All that was needed were two handsome, unsuspecting men to come strolling in and you'd have yourself a happy meal.

"I don't like the way they're lookin' at us Quat," Duo muttered to his blond companion, his danger senses screaming at him to get out of there and hide somewhere while his brain in his lower anatomy was in the midst of having an aneurism.

Quatre, meanwhile, was in the same boat, cursing his light skin complexion as his nervous blush was incredibly noticeable. "Amen to that," he said, his heart convulsing in his chest and his empathy going haywire due to all the…_lust_ that was in the air.

Neither of them liked this and were forcing themselves to think of baseball and cold showers (though Duo had a slightly different reaction to the baseball part) as they tried to not show any discomfort or arousal while in the line of fire. For some reason, both felt that if they did they wouldn't be making it out alive…

"Perhaps we should…find somewhere cool to hid—I mean, get something to eat," the blond nearly stuttered. Not trusting his own voice, Duo nodded his head in agreement.

A short while later found them in a diner of sorts sitting in a booth that just happened to be adjacent to a large window. Conspicuously, all the other tables and booth that both would have preferred (coincidentally, their Gundam pilot training was rearing its ugly head and sneaking its way into their urges and instincts) having either been filled up or covered in the remains of previous dinners. Not to mention that they were still _clearly_ visible to the skin revealing public and what you had here was a trained killer's nightmare.

Usually, the two would have taken a back corner with a view of the front door and no windows near them (the previously mentioned Gundam pilot training) but since they were either to wait while the staff took their sweet time cleaning up the dirtied tables or to take the one remaining booth and get off their legs, well, you kinda get the drift.

Plus the staff seemed to be really, _really_ slow for some reason. Maybe it was because the majority of the waitresses were staring at them as well? But if they were the usually possessive fangirls that the two had met over time, shouldn't the two of them be hidden in the back or something instead of being…showcased or whatever to a live audience that was also slowing down its pace to stare at them?

Sigh, the curse of being handsome sons of bitches was a heavy burden indeed…

"I don't know why it seems so hostile all of a sudden," Quatre sighed, sipping from a glass of ice cold water. "It wasn't like this when we first came…"

"Think someone might have spiked everything with aphrodisiacs?" Duo grumbled, slumping down in his seat.

"That seems a bit farfetched," Quatre commented dryly. "Besides, even if everything _were_ spiked, why aren't you, me, and the others affected?"

"Because we're special," Duo retorted, his voice high in a rendition of a small child.

"Aren't we all?" Quatre chuckled in amusement.

---

It was with horror that Wufei found himself pinching his nose shut as so many eyes bored into him hungrily. It was right about now that he wished he had chosen to wear something other than his customary blue tank top but at least his pants were baggy.

For some reason, though, he highly doubted that that would have made any difference.

Was Barton psychic or something? What had once looked to be a lesser of the two evils was now looking more like a trek through hell. He would have preferred to stay back in the suite making sure that two certain, hardheaded males didn't butt heads again.

Sighing wearily, he trudged forth, scowling at all the sudden attention he was receiving and getting a shiver up his spine as he felt eyes from all over stare into his back. Didn't these people have any decency? Or modesty?!

His training as a pilot was coming a bit handy in this situation he will admit it. His sharp eyes were scanning everything, searching for a couple with blond and brown hair, looking straight through some of the more—

It fell like he was trying to stifle a flood between his thumb and index finger as a set of bare breasts glared right into his face and he found all his systems shutting down. They were just so pink…and firm…and bouncy…so very bouncy…and—No!

He shook his head violently and slapped his face, the pain refocusing his mind. By the Buddha! He had almost lost himself there, may all the Hindu Gods save him from this! There were just so many and he didn't care which one came to his aid as long as _someone_ did and—hey, aren't they?

He must have been getting divine help because he was standing merely a few feet away from a restaurant where two certain pilots could be seen sharing a meal. He didn't know who to thank but he'd do that later. First, he needed to get in there and let the two more sociable pilots know just what was going on.

It was only as he entered the building and the cool air hit his skin that he realized just how hot it had been outside. Still, he was a man on a mission and a little thing like temperature was not going to stop him!

As he approached the table, mentally noting just where it was situated and internally frowned at his comrades for their choice of seat, it was Maxwell who noticed him first and for a moment, the Chinese pilot fear that the other was going to call out to him with unchewed food still in his mouth.

Fortunately, Maxwell swallowed first before using his vocal cords this time around.

"Hey, what brings you all the way out here, Wu?" he chirped.

Sighing out loud, remembering to release his nose for the moment, he said exasperatedly, "Your 'best friends' tried to beat one another up earlier. I swear those two are acting like children."

"Do we need to go back?" Winner asked, concern palpable in his voice.

Shaking his head in the negative, Wufei answered, "Barton and I thought it best I give you the heads up first so if you want to go back, it really is your decision."

"Then take a seat, my man," Maxwell invited, sliding over and patting the spot next to him. "Want something to eat? Drink maybe?"

Sighing again, he sat down next to the braided bundle of energy. "No thank you, I'm fine. I'm not in the mood to be going back to the hotel anytime soon but neither do I want to go outside alone."

"Know what'cha mean," Maxwell said. "It got really creepy out there. You have any idea why it's happening?"

"Not a one," Wufei told him, slumping slightly. "I swear, I thought I might get attacked out there."

"Maybe it wouldn't be so bad," Maxwell mused. "I mean, who'd be attacking you or any of us? A bunch of horny, nearly naked…not bad looking girls…okay, I lost my train of thought."

Wufei raised an eyebrow. So…Maxwell wasn't that way inclined? Was he getting that right? If so…then Barton and him would have to shelve their plans to get either Yuy or Solo into a relationship with their braided friend and act as buffers from potentially unwanted affection.

"Easily distracted?" Winner commented.

"Huh? You were saying something?" Maxwell asked, removing his eyes from the window.

"Get your head out of the gutter!" Wufei scowled.

"And miss the sights?" Maxwell said innocently, eyes wide. "Not a chance! Well, would you look at that?"

Not believing that he was doing this, Wufei leaned forward slightly to get a look at whatever Maxwell was looking at. What he found was a walking couple passing nearby, moving at a slow pace. He frowned slightly at the plain looking brunette that was there but couldn't quite figure out just what had captured Maxwell's attention.

"What's so special about them?" he asked curiously. "The woman looks like every other ordinary woman I've ever seen."

"I'm not talking about her, I'm talking about him!" Duo responded.

Both of Wufei's eyebrows rose at that but he did as he was told. While the woman hadn't been something special to look at, the man she was with towered over her by a good foot and very well muscled with chiseled facial features. Okay, that just raised more questions than ever before. First he's talking about all the women and now he's eyeing the men! Time to at least get some answers for all the questions that had risen up in past few days.

Winner, though, beat him to the punch.

"Duo? I don't mean to pry but are you trying to tell us something?" Winner asked tentatively. Internally, Wufei was grateful that it was Winner who was doing the questioning. He knew that if he did it, it would just be awkward. Besides, it wasn't that he had anything against such…people.

"Huh?" Maxwell asked, looking back at them.

"It's okay," Winner said, eyes softening. "We don't care if you like the same gender. We've been through too much, as friends, to let something like that interfere with our relationships."

"Oh? Oh! Thanks, I guess," Maxwell said, the blond's meaning finally hitting him. "I mean, it's not a big deal he shrugged."

Sounded like he was trying to avoid the topic. Yet the paltry answer wasn't enough to satisfy the Chinese pilot. Though he knew he shouldn't, he was going to pry a bit more into this. He needed to know so that he and Barton could accurately plan what to do. Perhaps this was why Barton had sent him out?

"I have a question," he said. "If that is where your…preferences lie, why do you also seem to be attracted to the women?"

"Aw, Wu, I knew you cared!" Maxwell said, slipping an arm around his shoulders and thudding him lightly on his chest with his other hand. "I swing both ways!"

Both of the other pilots stared back him. Well…that explained a lot actually…

---

"You're sure they're there?" Bryce demanded into his phone. Pausing to await his response, he then said, "Make sure that they don't leave and get the rest of the men over there. I'm on my way."

Hanging up, Dayton watched as a malicious smirk formed on his employer's lips. He swallowed nervously as Bryce increased his pace, heading down the street to where it had been reported their targets were.

The assistant gulped nervously, not liking this one bit.

---

"Bisexual? Really?" Quatre asked, blinking straight at the braided one.

Duo shrugged. "Never thought it was important. I mean, why limit yourself to just one…when you can have both?" he finished with a shit eating grin, sure that he was emitting some perverted vibes. Telling by the way he was getting looks from Wufei, he knew he was successful.

"Now it makes sense," Quatre said, smiling indulgently at him.

"You're finally just getting it now?" he replied teasingly, flashing Quatre a saucy wink.

Quatre didn't even blush. That was actually surprising for some reason. "I had an idea but now I know for sure," the blond replied. "So, tell me, how long are you going to be leaving Heero hanging?"

Duo blinked in surprise, faintly aware that Wufei was visibly gaping at their fairer friend as if he had just said something that had blown him out of the water. He'd usually had the mind to reach over and close the Chinaman's mouth but right now he too was taken aback by Quatre's question.

"Well…ya see," Duo began, rubbing the back of his neck.

However, he didn't get the chance to say any more as all of their internal alarms began blaring. They all ducked down simultaneously as bullets shattered the window just beside them, screams of the public filling the air as the three pilots came under attack.

It was times like these that Duo was glad he didn't go anywhere without his gun.

Waiting for a lull, he took the first opportunity to shoot back before ducking down again as more gunfire was leveled down at them. He was mildly confident that he had hit at least one of those bastards back there and he was vaguely aware that the other two pilots were scrambling around behind him, searching for their own vantage points, guns pulled out and ready to use.

Soon the noise level increased as both Quatre and Wufei began to return fire with their attackers, the enemy fire lessening a bit but not by much as two enemy combatants fell to the ground.

"Someone get Yuy and Barton!" he heard Wufei shout at one of them and while Duo was tempted to yell back, he decided not to in place of focusing on their attackers.

Within him, he could feel something stirring, a sentience that he identified as his new found magic power stuff. While he felt the desire to use it, he decided not to as right now he was just facing off with good ol' familiar bullets. Now this was stuff he knew about.

"Help's on the way!" Quatre shouted at them. Funny, he hadn't seen Quatre use a phone…

Suddenly, without warning, the gunfire stopped and all was quite outside of the diner's patrons' whimpering. He had the urge to peek over and through the shattered window but he didn't want to reveal his exact position. Wufei and Quatre weren't shooting and Duo could only wonder just what was going on. Why had the gunshots stopped? Had their attackers left?

Telling by how Quatre and Wufei were still crouched down, both having good spots to peek out from, he knew they weren't quite out of the woods.

"Preventers!" A loud voice boomed. "We know you're in there! Give yourselves up now or I can't guarantee the safety of these people here!"

He knew that voice. It took him only a second to recognize it as belonging to one William Bryce and soon he felt the stirrings of anger and rage boiling within him, mixing with his new magic powers. Hell, he was starting to tremble from the effort to contain himself…

The wall suddenly exploded into flames and Duo found himself being flung into a nearby counter, his body rolling over it and falling down to the floor with a harsh smack. Now, he knew his explosives, mainly because he was usually the one detonating them, and he knew that that explosion was not caused by some incendiary device. In fact, there hadn't even been the telltale sound of a grenade bouncing on the ground or any sort of beeping.

"Well?" Bryce's voice boomed. "Are you coming out or do I have to set this whole building on fire?!"

Oh like hell he was going to let this bastard push him around!

It was half intentional, half impulse when he shot up from behind the counter, firing the rest of the cartridge in his gun at the man he had hunted down for months. It was only after he had run out that he found out that none of his bullets were meeting their mark as they were stopped by a translucent shield that happened to reside between him and Bryce.

Funny, that shield or whatever it was look similar to the kind Quatre used…oh crap!

He ducked down as a flaming fireball passed overhead, Bryce laughing heartily. "How amazing!" the man guffawed. "So he wasn't all bullshitting me!"

There was no doubt about it now. Bryce had somehow gotten his hands into magic. And to think the man seemed to be at a more advanced level than he was! He was really going to get Quatre to spill more about this stuff if they got out of this!

---

Fixing the damage in the suite was nothing new for the blond streetrat. Back when he was studying under Adrian, he had to clean up after himself all the time, including that hole in the wall that Adrian had made when he had first shown him magic. That had actually been a bitch to fix up but after that, any other kind of damage paled in comparison.

So while Trowa was keeping an eye on him and Mr. Full-of-himself to make sure neither of them got into another brawl, something that the blond wasn't opposed to. Sure his rib was good as new but the asshole was just straightening out all the pictures on the walls while he had to mend the dent in the wall, made when he had flipped Heero over him when the other had first charged him.

With the shadows helping him to force the dent out, he would soon be finished with it and then it would be on what to do with that one chair that had been shattered when he had first used the other's shadow against him.

Pulling away from the fixed wall, he sighed with the loss of energy he was slowly experiencing. Hey, it was one of the first things Adrian had taught him: magic took up energy, not just the magical but also the physical. Glancing down, he noticed a gun lying on the floor directly below from where the dent had been. Now how had that gotten there? Picking it up, he shrugged as he nonchalantly pocketed it.

Hey, never knew when the thing would come in handy…

"Has anyone seen my gun?" Heero suddenly spoke up, frowning as his eyes scanned the room.

Okay, so now that explained where the gun came from. Damn these guys were paranoid, carrying guns on them all the time.

Unexpectedly, the physical world dropped out of existence and Solo found himself in a dark blue, chaotic landscape floating in midair as charged balls of magic shot around everywhere like shooting stars. Now why was he here when he sure as hell knew he hadn't been thinking about it?

A gold figure caught his eye and it took him a second to recognize it as Quatre. He had half a mind to curse the guy out for pulling this but he was cut off as the blond began to speak quickly at him.

"Solo! We have trouble!" the blond exclaimed at him, freezing the other's not-there blood. Oh shit… "Get Heero and Trowa and get over here!"

"Ya got it," he said, no trace of humor in his voice as the world around him dissolved back to the physical world again.

Coming back into himself, he noticed both Trowa and Heero were by a window, frowning as they discussed some odd sounds that sounded a lot like pops. There was no doubt in the blond's mind what those were.

"We got trouble!" he barked, catching the other two off guard as they spun around to face him, Trowa halfway drawing out a gun while Heero looked like he was about to hit someone. "Quatre just called me," he said, ignoring the other two's disbelief. "They're in some shit and need us to bail'em out."

"Oh really?" Heero scoffed.

"It's that empathy thing," Solo said, hurriedly heading for the door. "You two comin' or not? I can hear the gunshots all the way over here!"

That got their attention and now both of them were on his heels. Perhaps they had known that the popping noise was gunfire, which would be obvious for these kind of guys, but it was only now confirmed to them that their friends were involved.

Well, he had to give them points for making up for lost time.

---

The second Quatre felt the gathering of magic around the leader of this band of men; he knew exactly who was behind this. How had The Collective known they were here? He had been sure he had covered their trails, having all the other four pilots checking it on their own to be sure that they had "vanished."

Things, of course, got more complicated as Duo went into a firing rage and emptied a whole clip at the white haired leader only for the man to form a shield to protect him and then retaliate with another fireball.

Looks like he was going to have to employ his own brand of magic.

Placing his gun down, he cupped his hands together, helping himself get into the right frame of mind by chanting the meaningless chant and finishing it off with "_Salama_." Small electrical bolts of energy crackled in the small space, quickly forming a radiant ball of magical energy.

He waited until he heard the leader begin ordering his men to enter the building before he stood up and fired the ball the shot lightning fast out of the restaurant and right in front of the nearest armed man, exploding and frying the poor soul in seconds. Having already ducked down, he formed another ball, speaking only half the chant this time and the spell word itself, "_Salama_," before quickly standing up and throwing this second orb.

He nearly got clipped by a bullet that time but he heard a scream of agony that told him he had hit someone. Despite this sudden advantage in their favor, the blond hoped fervently that the others would get here soon. It would be so much easier to take these guys down, especially with Heero as…concerned as he was about Duo.

A hail of bullets blew into the building as the men outside were determined to avenge their fallen comrades. Deciding to give them a taste of their own medicine, the blond formed a barrier that stopped all the bullets as they ricocheted off.

"Hold your fire! HOLD YOUR FIRE!" he could hear their leader shout out until the bullets stopped. By then, Duo had gotten to his side, tossing away an empty cartridge as he locked in his new full one.

"How could Bryce have found us?" he demanded of his friend as it grew quiet once more.

So that was the Bryce the others had been talking about. Yes, this was making more sense now. Someone from The Collective had to have woken him up from his coma but until now the blond hadn't heard of a non-magic user being able to use such spells in a small amount of time. He wouldn't be surprised if one of the higher ups in the organization was responsible for this but he was still wondering why they would go to someone outside of the group. This was making less and less sense.

His barrier trembled as a fireball impacted and Quatre was a bit surprised at the force that was behind it. Duo had also noticed how much of an effect it was having on the blond as he demanded to know if they could shoot through the shield. It was going to require that he pull some energy out of it but yeah, it was possible.

"Wufei, get ready to shoot something!" Duo called out to the Chinaman who simply nodded and braced himself.

As one, the two pilots stood up and began firing all they had at Bryce's men. Two off the bat fell as bullets got them in the heads while a third was hit in an arm. Bryce took cover with his men but it could be seen that the spells that he was using were taking a lot out of him. As his men began to return fire, another was felled by a sharp shot from Wufei who had been waiting for someone to peek out.

The screeching of tires could be heard down the street and soon after, a familiar rental car came barreling in, a certain Japanese pilot shooting from the passenger side window. Now the odds were evening, Quatre thought to himself.

The car came to a halt and both Heero and Trowa came rolling out of their respective sides, shooting with deadly accuracy and taking out those of Bryce's men who hadn't recovered from the sudden dramatic entrance. Things were starting to look up.

A fireball blasted out with a roar and slammed into the car, the vehicle exploding into flames. There were screams from the restaurant patrons who were still trapped in the building with the three pilots and the heat from the explosion caused both Duo and Wufei to duck down.

"Christ!" Duo swore next to the blond. "I hope the guys got in the clear…"

Standing before the burning wreckage, Bryce emerged and he was not happy. This was supposed to merely be an in-and-out kind of thing, grab the braided bastard that had captured him and bring him to his employer, Xavien. Well now he was done playing around; he was going to use all this power that he had been given and he'd do it in one blow! No more mister nice guy!

He began to chant, the fire gathering in-between his palms. He could feel so much energy going into it and he continued to pour more into it.

From the flames of the car, a tall figure emerged, blond hair freed from a ponytail whipping around freely. His green eyes focused solely on Bryce and from where Quatre was, he could see the blond smirking at the man. Just what was he doing and just how had he survived the explosion, if he had truly been in it when it had occurred?

"What's Solo doin'?" Duo hissed, worry tainting his voice. "Is he tryin' ta get himself killed?!"

Quatre, unfortunately, couldn't give him an answer.

Meanwhile, Solo began to speak. "You any good with that? Try and hit me right here!" the blond challenged, thumping his chest for emphasis.

"Oh no, don't tell me he's lost it," Duo moaned.

Bryce let out a roar as he blasted the large fireball at the blond but Solo remained put, grinning like a madman as he took the blast head on. It was all Quatre had to hold Duo back as the other blond vanished from sight into the flames, Duo face one of horror and grief.

As the flames cleared, surprisingly enough there stood Solo without even a singe mark on him. Bryce stared flabbergasted at the blond, unable to believe that the other was still alive. From the restaurant, the three pilots stared bug-eyed at the blond, also in disbelief.

Solo chuckled as he held up a hand where his fingers clutched onto a chunk of something black. "Ya really are an amateur," the blond said cheerfully. "I didn't even need ta put up a shield. All I needed was this little bit of _iron_…"

Tossing the iron away as Quatre's eyes widened at the fact, Solo held a hand out far away from his body, his palm facing straight towards Bryce who was completely speechless.

"Now it's _my_ turn," the blond said ominously. Solo's shadow stretched out before him, racing towards Bryce with inhuman speed. Before Bryce could even move, he was swallowed up by the swarm that had formed on the end of Solo's shadow and the man's screams could be heard from within the writhing mass.

The shrieks suddenly stopped as the shadows pulled away, revealing only a skeleton that was shaking and still wet from all the tissues and liquids that had been pulled from it. Without anything to support it, the skeleton collapsed in on itself, a pile of bones in the middle of the street.

Blinking at the gruesome sight, Duo cracked out a "huh," while Quatre was instead staring straight into the taller blond. While he wasn't a stranger to death, he had never seen something like that outside of a…crime scene photo…

Flicking some hair out of his face, Solo asked, "Anybody else want some?"


	18. When in Rome

Author's Note: A chapter that KO and I agreed on just skimming through events. They were boring anyway. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

When in Rome

Morrigu strolled down the corridor at a sedate pace, not in a hurry to answer Xavien's summons to report on the Bryce mission. Bryce was dead and wasn't going anywhere and Xavien would be waiting in his office at The Collective's citadel, exactly where he had sent out his message.

As he walked down the hallway, his black eyes landed on the sight of a small person scuttling up ahead and a cruel smirk creased his lips. Perhaps a little detour was in order…

Utilizing his long legs to their full potential, he caught up with what looked to be just a clerk who was in the midst of delivering some document. It was needless to say that the clerk was small, even when compared to someone of average height and not that of Morrigu's, and his face expressed nothing but youth and insecurity. Small glasses perched on the boyish looking young man and Morrigu's eyes gleamed as he was overcome with the sudden urge to jump and have the boy right then and there.

Extending out a long arm and planting it right in the clerk's way, hand against the wall, he casually leaned his torso so that he was blocking more of the clerk's way.

The clerk looked up at him with surprise and no little fear and Morrigu drank it all up as he gave the smaller boy a lustful grin, pearly white teeth nearly reflecting the light from the magelights that illuminated the corridors. "I haven't seen you around, youngling," Morrigu greeted. "Are you new here or just here to assist one of the visiting seats? If so, maybe you should consider a transfer. I'd know _I_ would like to see more of you…"

The boy squeaked and Morrigu found himself nearly floored by the other's adorability. Those twitching gray eyes that were as wide as teacup saucers bespoke of untainted innocence that the tall man so desperately wished to corrupt. The boy raised his packet of documents up so that they covered half of his face and the boy continued to make nonsensical noises trying to give an answer.

"Breathe child," Morrigu chuckled. "Calm yourself so that I can hear your pretty, little voice."

However, before the boy could do as he was instructed, Morrigu suddenly felt an oppressive force in his mind, signaling that Xavien was growing impatient waiting for him. Looks like he was going to have to terminate this would-be conquest early…or at least for now until another opportunity presented itself.

"Hold that thought," he said. "I need to be elsewhere right now but take this time to think through your thoughts so that next time we can be able to hold a conversation. Until then, _ciao_."

Pushing away, he spun on his heel and continued on his stroll gracefully so as to flirt with the latest apple of his eye. Tempting obvious virgins like that boy was just so fun and entertaining…sigh. Xavien was such a fucking cockblocker…

Reaching his superior's office, he burst into the room with fanfare, uncaring for the peeved glare that Xavien threw at him. Giving off an aura of long suffering, he trekked through the office to the couch that he so loved to lay on and fell onto it, sprawling on top of the soft cushions.

"You are really testing my patience," Xavien growled, malice visible in his different colored eyes that were so unnerving, even to one such as Morrigu when he was paying attention.

"Jetlag," he sighed melodramatically. "It was such a long trip from the Caribbean and—"

"Oh shut up," Xavien half snarled. "I know you were there during the little skirmish so I want to know everything you saw to the very last detail."

"Does that include the time before or after my little lust curse?" Morrigu chuckled, pillowing his head with his hands. "Seeing that entire island so amorous for our little Death Mage was so entertaining."

"After, preferably at the moment Bryce launched his attack," Xavien stated, leaning back into his chair.

"What can I say? He didn't use any of his powers," Morrigu shrugged. "He did have help from two others, the Winner heir being one of them."

"So the Winners have already found him?" Xavien questioned, not even sounding concerned about this information. "Getting around them will not be that much trouble. When you've fought one Winner, you've fought them all. Now, what about the other one?"

"That one's a manipulator," Morrigu said. "Has control over shadows and whatnot. He was the one that took down Bryce with little or no effort. His movements, though, were a bit familiar."

"And?" Xavien crunched out. "Get on with it."

"Yeah, yeah," Morrigu sneered. "I saw him with the Death Mage the day previous. He was sticking close to him until the Mage left to get some ice cream. Even then, he kept his eyes on the Mage and you should have seen the way he looked at me when I got close to him. He'll probably be the problem in getting the Mage as I only saw him once without the other's presence."

Xavien raised an eye. "Aside from the fact that you had the Death Mage right in your grasp, what did you learn about him? The Mage's personality will have an effect on how he will utilize his powers."

Morrigu smirked sneakily at this. "Well…" he drawled. "He was such a cute little thing with his long braid and his violet eyes. And his voice! That L2 drawl was so sexy…"

Xavien had been rolling his eyes as Morrigu began his description, already impatient with his underling's games when he froze at the last sentence.

"Excuse me, what?" he interrupted, his voice low and ominous. "You didn't happen to say L2, did you?"

Morrigu frowned, caught off guard by this sudden change in the other. "I did say so."

In the next instant, Xavien was out from behind his desk and right into his face, his different colored eyes glowing malevolently. Morrigu was more than unnerved by this and he found his habit of playing games with the other stopped altogether.

"Tell me, what did he look like?" Xavien growled. "Specifically his body. Did you see any signs of malnutrition?"

Thinking back to what he remembered, Morrigu nodded his head slowly. "He was a bit _thin_ now that I think about it," he mused. "And he was shorter than what I had been expecting. Plus his movements were a bit too graceful, like a thief's." By now he was babbling, saying anything that might get this man away from him. There was a crazed look in those eyes and Morrigu felt a sense of dread building up in his gut at it.

Without warning, Xavien turned away from him and stopped to lean in front of his desk, hands planted firmly on the piece of furniture. Xavien's head shook from side to side, as if he was trying to deny something, his shoulders beginning to shake as an eerie giggle escaped him.

"To think that the marvelous powers of the Death Mage," Xavien chuckled in a kind of calm that occurred right before the storm erupted, which it soon did, "ended up in the measly hands…of a Goddamn L2 STREETRAT!"

Magical power blazed around Xavien in a fury, furniture being pushed away by it as the carpet underneath the man was ripped to shreds. Bolts of raw power dancing off from Xavien, creating singe marks wherever they went and Morrigu found himself in fear for his life at this sudden development.

He had never seen his superior explode like this before and it was absolutely terrifying, and humbling, to behold.

Then as suddenly as it had begun, the display of power stopped and Xavien remained in his hunched position. Then the man snapped, "What a fucking waste! A fucking streetrat gets to command that marvelous power?! We'll see about that, won't we?"

Morrigu swallowed; Xavien was not only still pissed but now he was acting in an uncharacteristic way. Forgive him for staying quiet but he had self-preservation in mind, thank you very much!

Xavien spun on his heel and marched over towards him, a hand shooting out and grabbing the pale man by his neck, the residual power on the man's limb searing into his flesh and causing him to grimace. "Tell me everything," Xavien hissed. "Don't leave anything out. You and I are going to rectify this travesty, one way or another…"

For the second time in five minutes, Morrigu truly felt fear…

---

Rome, a city thousands of years old and possessing some of the most awe-inspiring sights this side of the Mediterranean. Duo couldn't help but fall into a gaudy tourist mentality as he stared dumbly at the wonders before him and snapped rapid photos on a disposable camera he had purchased.

What was he doing in this city of all places, you might be wondering. Well, that's a long story that will be slightly abridged so as to save time and prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.

In the aftermath of Bryce's attack, the Preventers had descended upon the scene faster than the pilots could get out of there and thus they were detained for a while as Une herself made her way to the area. Seeing the bosslady herself made Duo a little uneasy but fortunately Solo was there to act as a willing meat shield. If only he knew the horrors that woman was capable of.

It was fortunate, really, that before the Preventers or Une arrived they had managed to round up a couple survivors of Bryce's men, one of them happening to be a very nervous man who had cracked in front of the awesomeness that was Heero Yuy's patented death glare and he was spilling everything he knew to them. This guy, Dayton he thought, was really pitiful and Duo almost took pity on him but he really needed to know how the guy's boss had found them so quickly.

Dayton himself didn't know as Bryce was suddenly very quiet about it, very odd seeing as how the dead man himself had happened to be a bit of a braggart. After that, Dayton began babbling about stuff that was more in the Preventers' interests than theirs so they had to silence him and make sure he didn't get any weird thoughts, like power of attorney, just as everybody's favorite government agency arrived.

Now when Une herself showed up, she didn't seem at all bothered by the scene of destruction as she made her ways towards them. He wasn't sure about this next part but he thought that her eyes had lighted up on him but that moment had passed too quickly for him to make a mental note about it.

However, it quickly became obvious that she was not happy about finding them here. What was really strange was that she was more peeved at the other pilots than at him and now that he had a small note of. The end result, though, and this is what pissed _him_ off, was that he was now off paid vacation and now on some witness protection program despite not being a witness. The other pilots, excluding Quatre, were unsuspended and delegated to being his armed guard and Quatre himself was made an honorary Preventer for some reason. He had a feeling she only did that not as a way of reward but of keeping an eye on _all_ the pilots.

But it was back into hiding again soon after and this time it was Une who chose their destination. So no beaches, no nude beaches, and no fun in the sun. Instead they got Rome which wasn't that bad of a pick mind you but still it had nothing on a nude beach.

Now just why was he out and about when there was an enigmatic group of people trying to kidnap him? Well, that was because he refused to stay locked up in the small safehouse bestowed upon them by Une no matter how much the other guys disliked the idea. Sure he may have been the one to go up to Quatre and demand that they increase their little lessons but you can only learn about magic for so long before you snap and have to get out.

So he had dragged Solo along with him when no one was looking and _voila_, here they were. It was amusing to see Solo take in everything with childlike wonder, how the larger than life blond seemed to age backwards and shrink somewhat as he took in some of the best of the city of…whatever it was called nowadays.

So he took the lead with disposable camera in one hand and Solo's hand in the other and began his sightseeing trek into the city all the while ignoring the calls that Quatre sent to him demanding that he return to the safehouse immediately before he sicked Heero on him. Yeah, he could hear those intangible calls that the other blond could make now and thus far had managed to master at least a couple of the more basic spells out there.

He wasn't a Gundam pilot for nothing, ya know.

Currently, the two former L2 citizens were within the walls of the Vatican, staring in wonder at the grandiose Pantheon, what the tourist brochure labeled as one of the oldest Christian churches in the world. It was kinda nice to look into the religion that Father Maxwell and Sister Helen had so much faith in; it made him feel that he was finally beginning to understand why they did what they did, such as taking in an unruly, orphan streetrat and his gang and finding them homes without any desire for compensation. Those two had truly been one-of-a-kind individuals on the blighted Colony…

Within these polished, hallowed halls in which the two walked in, for the first time since coming into the care of the only two people he would ever acknowledge as parental figures, he felt a sense of peace envelop him and for once he felt as if all was right in the world.

Solo, he wasn't sure about but he could tell by the way the blond was staring at stuff that he wasn't feeling it. Then again, Solo hadn't been in the Maxwell Church but was instead learning magic from a Pagan area of time…huh, can he really call it Pagan now that he himself was learning all about it?

This whole higher power being that caused catastrophes but loves you anyway notwithstanding, the tour of the Pantheon was nice if he didn't say so himself and as the two of them exited the building, they ran into Trowa and Hannah. Now while Trowa said that he and the other pilots were out looking for him, Hannah insisted that the two of them were on a "date" and that it was a wonderful surprise to find them here.

Trowa, for some reason, didn't argue with her and looked to a side with—hey, was that a blush on his cheeks?

For some reason, he was beginning to think that Trowa was more whipped than he liked to admit.

Nevertheless, Trowa was insistent that he get back to the safehouse as soon as possible and if he refused, he'd call the guys and they would be here before he could get out of the micronation. What was surprising was that Solo agreed with the banged guy and urged him to take a break from sightseeing. The only reason he agreed was because Solo was looking a bit tired and he didn't want to tire out his best friend too quickly.

So, he reluctantly returned just in time to meet up with Heero on the doorstep. Well lookie, lookie, Heero was looking a little bit peeved though he couldn't tell whether or not it was at him or Solo. He had accepted that the two didn't like each other and he wasn't going to force them to be alone with one another against their wills. It sucked that his two best friends couldn't get along but hey, he'd take what he could get.

So into the house he trudged, shoulders slightly slumped and there he was greeted by a distressed Quatre. Once again he had worried his other friends by disappearing and this time he would take fault seeing as how he hadn't left a note this time around. Solo must've been rubbing off on him, he swore. He was usually more responsible than this…okay, most of the time he was.

Seeing as how Wufei wasn't back, he assumed the other was still on his way back and he just couldn't wait for the little rant that was coming with him. You could see the sarcasm in that sentence, couldn't you?

So after managing to shoo everyone else off his back, he finished his trek by going to his shared bedroom and flopping down on the bed. The accommodations in the house were a complete contrast to the hotel suite they had had just yesterday. The beds were a bit firmer than those at the hotel and everything looked too shabby after spending a few days in that island paradise.

There was only so much wood you could take in one building, honestly!

He wished they could have crashed at one of Quatre's mansions but wouldn't you know it, Rome just happened to be one of the few cities that didn't have one. It really sucked and plus, they weren't allowed another hotel room/suite this time around, though that was something he didn't get. Had something happened at the other or did Une not want any paper trail that could lead their enemies to them?

Yeah, Quatre had gone through some hurdles trying to explain everything to Une yet not tell her exactly what was going on. As far as he knew, she didn't know that he was being chased down by The Collective but she did know someone was after him. Magic was on the low key and a large emphasis on some big guns was all that Quatre had to work with but he had managed to get her off their backs for the meanwhile.

So now it would just be the six of them in this three-bedroom house. Yeah, you read correctly, three. Hannah wasn't being allowed to stay with them (Une's orders, he didn't know why) so she was crashing at a nearby hotel, which is if you call a mile nearby. Hey, Rome was a big city. Since Solo was another story and the little verbal brawl he had with the director of the Preventers was a bit entertaining, after being nearly called every foul word in the dictionary five times over, she bowed down to the awesomeness that was Solo (the blond's words, not his) and let him stay with them.

He had caught a trace of a smile on that woman's face as she acquiesced and that was just one more mystery in this whole web.

So it was the six of them and there were only three bedrooms in which they could use. Automatically there was a problem as he had at least two people, if not three, trying to force their way into being his roomie. By then, the jetlag from their latest flight was setting in and so instead of being put off, he was kinda amused by it.

The most aggressive contenders were, not surprisingly, Solo and Heero. It looked like it was going to be an all out brawl but then Solo brought out a trump card: who was more able to protect Duo. Now most would go with Heero but Solo also mentioned that if prepared, guns were not going to have a big effect on the guys that were after him. He would need someone who was skilled in magic around him at all times.

That's when Quatre tried to volunteer, despite the death glares he got for his trouble, saying that Solo did have a point and that Duo would be better protected if he had someone with knowledge on how to use magic rooming with him. Once again, Solo contested the smaller blond for the privilege of being his roomie and the two blonds went into another room to duke it out on the astral plains.

Of course, all of this could have been averted had they just looked towards him and asked whom he preferred.

In the end, Solo emerged triumphant, huge ass smirk and everything, and before anyone could voice a protest, he was dragging him into the closest room and shutting the door behind them.

And it was now in this room that he found himself after a day of seeing the sights, laying face down on the firm mattress and admitting to himself that calling quits early may have been a smart idea, not that he was going to tell the others about it.

He felt the mattress dip in slightly next to him, telling him that he had a visitor and he had a good idea of just whom it was. Feeling a calloused hand stroke his head, he sighed in contentment, peeking out a violet eye and getting a good look at a languishing Solo.

"Ya really like ta cause trouble, don't'cha?" the blond chuckled.

"Keeps life interestin'," he mumbled into the bedsheets, shutting his eye closed.

---

The stench of paints clouded the darkened room, choking out any fresh air that could be had but the small man in the midst of it was not bothered at all by it as he was in his "zone," so to speak. With a paintbrush, he created unseen streaks of paint whose color he was unsure of. Of course, that was what you get when you painted in the dark and selected colors at random without even looking at them.

But that was the mystique of it all. Not knowing what you were doing until you were done and finished. He took his hobby of being an artist seriously, studying the works of the masters and doing his best to use their techniques to create his own masterpieces, be they paints, sculptures, or even overlooked pottery. He'd do them all because art was life…his life.

It was soft but his little spell alerted him that he had a call coming in and so he put down his brush just as his private cell began ringing up a storm. It was a good thing he had placed that little spell on the device; countless times of messing up his works of arts had taught him to think ahead of time, or at least just far enough so that he wouldn't be disturbed.

Picking it up, he flipping the phone open and spoke in a soft voice, "Speak."

Closing his eyes, he listened to the other voice, taking in every single word and noting the more important ones. So his services were needed again, that was no surprise. No, what was surprising was exactly who it was he was suppose to retrieve.

So…the mythical Death Mage has appeared at long last and he was being commissioned to capture and bring him to the waiting hands of the enigmatic Collective. He didn't have any problems with that but first he needed to get some more information, to help out with his mission.

"I will need identification and a possible area that he would be in," he spoke into the phone, getting an affirmative on the other end. Hmm, did it sound like the man who was in charge of The Collective's assassin squads seem a bit…crazed? Well, not that it mattered as long as he was paid. "I also request that half of my fee be placed in the usual accounts," he stated. "The other half will be given upon delivery."

Huh, this guy really seemed out of it. Usually there would be more of a fight, a hassle because the man on the other end was stingy when it came to payment. Apparently, the Death Mage was worth any compensation. How…interesting…

Hanging up, he left his unfinished work of art and headed to his private study just in time to intercept the e-mailed fax that was being printed out. Pulling out the sheet of paper that had the Death Mage's visage on it, he froze, as he was captivated.

Well this was unexpected. If only this ethereal being wasn't flesh but cold, hard marble, his beauty forever frozen in time to be admired by all. He would just have to fix that.

Picking up his office phone, the man known as Pike Verso began making calls, preparing to enter the race for Death's chosen soul. He had a fabled being to capture and immortalize.


	19. Appearance of the Cheshire Cat

Author's Note: Oh where, oh where did the reviewers go? Oh where, oh where could they be? Give us some feedback, people! Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

Appearance of the Cheshire Cat

Emerging from the latest teaching session, Quatre dragged himself towards the small living room where he collapsed onto the couch, completely drained of energy and tired as hell. He had to hand it to Duo; his braided friend was pulling out all the stops to learn as much as he could in a short amount of time. These two sessions a day, though, were really starting to take their toll on the blond pilot.

But maybe that last part could be blamed on another blond. Not only was he stuck in a room teaching Duo all he knew about the mystic arts, but Solo had insisted on sticking around. Not that he had a problem with that, mind you, but it was just the fact that every so often, Solo would interrupt the lesson by pointing out that Duo could cast a spell in a different way, use less energy, and yet have the same amount of effect. It was only frustrating that this guy was showing up not only him but generations worth of Winner family knowledge in how to train the Death Mage.

Hell, even the sisters he was in contact with were getting peeved off by this and they weren't anywhere near Rome! He had a feeling that Deborah was not only feeling insulted but planning on coming out here to give the quote-unquote "damn upstart a lesson in respect and what does he know about training the Death Mage?!"

For all their sakes, he hoped that didn't happen. Relena was more than enough on her own.

"Tough day?"

Slowly picking his head up, tousled blond locks and all, he stared up at Trowa for perhaps a minute before laying his head back down into the couch cushions and giving a loud sigh. That should be answer enough.

"At least Duo can defend himself…better," Trowa shrugged as he took a seat next to the exhausted blond. "Get into another fight like the last one and it'll be over quicker."

"Seven…days," Quatre moaned out. "Fourteen sessions, in total and that doesn't include all those escapades he makes with Solo out into the city. Do you think you can not mention that stuff for a while, hmm?"

Trowa nearly chuckled in reply. "You're pushing yourself too hard," he said kindly. "Maybe you ought to take a break tomorrow."

"Duo won't stand that," Quatre replied, his exhaustion evident in his voice. "He's the one that requested this in the first place. I didn't think he would be so demanding about it. And Solo! He's just…ahhg…"

This time Trowa did chuckle. "I don't really know what goes on during those lessons much less understand any of it. Makes me feel a bit useless here," he commented wryly.

At that, Quatre frowned. "You're not useless, none of you are."

"But we're in over our heads," Trowa said grimly. "This isn't something we can hit with our fists or shoot with a gun, Quatre. Wufei, Heero, and I do not have a way to defend ourselves from these people, especially after what Duo told me about his previous encounters."

"I'm afraid at this point in time, there's not much I can do," the blond said apologetically. "None of you have the inherent talent or even the dispositional inclination needed to learn it quickly. It'll take years to get you to master even the most basic of spells and time right now isn't what we have a surplus of. The best that any of us can do is to make sure you have a lot of iron on your persons. That should at least make you immune to the weaker and more basic spells."

"Nothing else?" Trowa pressed.

"Not really," Quatre shrugged. "If I wasn't busy with teaching Duo all he needs to know in a short amount of time, I'd be glad to at least start helping the rest of you out. But remember," he added, "magic is not the end all that makes someone invincible. Even The Collective's higher ranking members can be taken down with a well placed shot. They aren't as immortal as they like to think themselves as."

"So we'll have to rely on luck and chance," Trowa grounded out. "Not like that's much of a change from the wars."

"But we got out of those victorious," Quatre reminded. "We've faced great odds before and there's no doubt in my mind that we'll triumph again. I'll have my sisters send us some provisions to at least protect those of us who are more susceptible to our new foes."

"Should you do that?" the unibanged young man asked with a frown. "Aren't we supposed to be incognito?"

"Trust me," the blond said lightly. "There are many ways to contact someone and not all of them are obvious. Let me handle this; you're in good hands now."

---

There comes a time in every adult's life where they are caught offguard by something so cute, so adorable that they can't help but stare at it helplessly. For Solo, that time had come at last but it wasn't as if he was being held against his will, oh no, far from it.

So yeah, watching Duo curled up into a little ball and yawning like a little puppy was just too much for him to ignore. Not only that, it just so happened that his braided friend was using his thigh as a pillow and since the blond had so little desire to disturb this precious scene, he was kinda stuck there.

Not that he was complaining, mind you.

He threaded his fingers into the long, chestnut hair, earning a slight purr from the sleeping one and a small smile grew on the blond's lips. This had been a long time in coming. He had really missed the Kid…Duo during those nearly ten long years. He still remembered a time with a small, long haired brat who clung close to him like a shadow, who didn't use to make wisecracks but instead innocent, childish observations.

He had really missed out on a lot, he knew. From being a bottom-feeding street urchin to becoming one of the most dangerous men in the world wasn't something you just turned your back on for a moment. And despite all this more recent stuff, he wouldn't have had it any other way. He was getting to see his Kid again even though he had to see through the mask that his protégé still wore even in his company. That mask wasn't as thick or strong as Duo or anyone else thought it to be, especially when you knew what to look for. Maybe it was because he had seen Duo without his mask on before that he knew what was underneath?

Whatever the case may be, it didn't matter. The fact remained that he and the little brat were together again and he wasn't going to stand for some old fossils taking him away from him. That also included one Heero Yuy. He had a bad feeling about that guy, for some reason. Sure, Duo liked him and Solo himself didn't know how that had come to be, but there was a lot off about the guy.

Maybe it was because the guy was so emotionally repressed or maybe it was because he, like Duo and the other pilots, thought himself to be the shit. Still, it was admirable that despite the overwhelming odds, they were willing to stand against that evil organization.

Tuning back into reality, he refocused his gaze on the braided one and his heart soared as the sleeping one rubbed his cheek into his leg, yawning cutely and falling back into slumber. By God, he had a weakness to cute things. Would that explain why he always let the Kid tag along with him everywhere?

Probably.

He hummed to himself as he combed his fingers through that long, braided hair, his nerves singing beneath his skin. He had no idea how to interpret that or even what it may have meant but he had never felt so relaxed in his life, outside of the times when he would cudd—er, huddle with the other street kids to get some warmth on the cold, cold streets.

Yeah, real men don't cuddle, they huddle, right?

Right?

Okay, he would begrudgingly let that one by but only that one! At least only if no one else saw, of course. Hey, he had to keep up his manly appearance, ya know?

Feeling arms wrap around his leg, his heart melted as Duo cuddled more closely to him. Well, fuck it, his masculinity was bull crap now.

---

Later that evening, when the two natives of L2 didn't show up for dinner, it was Quatre who went to check up on them, slightly worried that the two wouldn't be there. To be truthful, he was more worried about Heero's reaction should Duo be missing and they had all gotten a slight taste of it when the Japanese ex-pilot almost marched his way towards the designated bedroom.

Thankfully, interference from Trowa and Wufei gave the blond the opportunity to take the initiative and head towards where the braided ex-pilot and his childhood friend should be.

As it turned out, after knocking on the door and not receiving an answer, he cracked opened the door and caught sight on the two inhabitants snuggled up against one another, dead asleep. He was curious as to how Duo hadn't at least heard anything but he couldn't help it; he had to "aww" at what he saw.

When neither of the two was disturbed, he frowned and trekked further in, pausing as he felt the hint of a spell in the air. It took him a moment to realize that it was a silence spell, one that was muffling any sound that might disturb the sleeping couple and while it was good to have around when you needed your sleep, this wasn't particularly the best of times to be using it.

He was going to have to take it down and wake the two up.

No sooner had he done that did Duo stir from his nap, crossing the boundary between consciousness and unconsciousness instantly yet not barreling out of the embrace, as he ought to have. Instead, all the smaller blond received was the bleary, violet eyes as they stared at everything, the mind behind them trying to comprehend the current situation. The eyes instantly lighted up as they landed on the blond and the braided one began to speak.

"Hey Quat," he greeted sleepily. "What's goin' on?"

"I was here to get you two," Quatre said in amusement. "Dinner's ready but you seem especially comfortable where you are."

"You bet your ass," Duo agreed as Solo shifted next to him, not quite waking up. "I haven't been like this since…since…" He began to frown. "Wait a minute," he mumbled as he looked to the larger blond that lay right next to him, a sleepy smile spread upon his lips.

Sighing, the braided one lifted up a hand and pinched the other's nose shut, waiting a moment before Solo emerged back into reality, the clogging of his nostrils disturbing his rest. Green eyes blinked open, confused as to what had caused them to open.

Duo's slight frown may have been the trick to push the blond fully into consciousness.

"And what exactly were you thinking?" Duo asked mock-sternly, giving the air of a disapproving parent.

Quatre had to bite back an amused chuckle, wanting to see this all play out.

"Aw, you were just so cuddly, I couldn't resist!" Solo whined. "C'mon, let's go back ta sleep…unless there's something else ya wanna do…?" he added, lifting his eyebrows suggestively.

"Mind out of the gutter," Duo quickly sighed. Shifting in the other's embrace, he sighed again. "And do you mind letting me go? Food's ready and I'm hungry…"

"Hmm, I don't know," Solo groused, tightening his embrace. "I think I might be hungrier for something else…"

"Solo, don't make me hurt you."

"Duo does need some nourishment," Quatre suggested from the sidelines. "After all, we still have a lesson later and he'll need all the energy he can get for…other activities."

"Quatre! Not you too!" Duo cried out, looking at the smaller blond in disbelief.

"Point," Solo acknowledged. Looking indecisive for a moment, the blond then said, "Tough call, man, but I'm gonna say I'm stickin' right here."

"Quatre," Duo sighed. "Can you give us a moment? I'll be out in a minute."

Looking at his friend dubiously, Quatre nevertheless backed out of the room and closed the door behind him.

---

It was some time later that Quatre found himself back in that bedroom, this time with a full stomach and two awaken roommates. Duo sat cross-legged before him, a purple magical volt dancing around a hand playfully while a disgruntled Solo leaned up against a wall with his arms crossed. Apparently, the larger blond was still unpleased with the immediate past events that led Duo from his arms to the dining table.

That, and from what Quatre had noticed, Heero seemed to be pleased by that and had a gloating air about him. Solo had seemed to catch onto that as well and had spent a few seconds death glaring at the Japanese nationality, a glare that had absolutely no effect on the other.

But back to the matter at hand, it was time for another lesson in magic and seeing how mesmerized his braided friend was with the simple spell that was crawling all around his hand, he had a feeling that this was going to be either an easy session or incredibly difficult one. Unfortunately, even with his empathy he wasn't able to determine which one it was.

Falling down into the lotus position, he began his teaching once again. "Have you made a barrier?"

Rolling his eyes at the first thing that the blond had taught him, Duo nodded his head in the affirmative. Even though he could already tell that there was one put up, he just wanted to be sure that it had been Duo who put it up. That could also have been confirmed just by feeling out the spell's signature, a.k.a. the personal taint that each individual person created unconsciously whenever a spell was cast, but Quatre was a real trusting person by nature. Seeing as how he could already feel Duo's signature in the barrier, it was really a needless question but hey, it was better to be safe than sorry in the case that someone else other than those in this room had put it up.

"Good, then dispel that offensive spell and we can get started," he said with a patient air, watching intently as the purple magical bolts vanished from their dance on Duo's limb. "Alright, what I want to do this time is to find out if you might have a specialty outside of your Death abilities," he said. "For example, my specialty is light manipulation while Solo's is control over shadows. It has been documented before that Death Mages have a tendency to be able to manipulate an element outside of Death. Not only will this give you more options in a magical battle, it will also allow you to avoid using your death powers so that you don't give yourself away to unfriendly eyes."

"So how do we do that?" Duo asked, nodding at the logic.

Quirking an eyebrow, the blond decided to let his contemporary answer this time and he turned his eyes towards the other blond to give a pointed look. Catching on to what the smaller blond wanted, it was Solo's turn to roll his eyes as he answered, "We're gonna have ta go back to da plains again, Kid."

"Aw man," Duo pouted. "I really don't like going to that place."

"Hey, I didn't either," Solo shrugged, "But ya get used ta it."

It was almost second nature for the trio to fade into the Astral Plains, the chaotic energies all around them. Before the three projections was none other than that same blob that both the two pilots had encountered when they had first come here and while Duo had been learning a lot of what it was, it still was not much when you compared his knowledge to that of Quatre's and Solo's own blobs. Folding his arms over his projected chest, the braided one looked pointedly at his two blond companions.

"Okay, now what?" he demanded.

"I'm not shoving you into it again," Quatre sighed, clearly remembering what had happened the last time he had done that. "The only way you are going to learn what I need you to know is to do it yourself. It comes as less of a shock that way."

"Dat comin' from da guy tryin' ta force feed him with every single detail 'bout magic?" Solo said dryly.

"I'm still learning how to do this myself," Quatre huffed. "I've never had to do this before and neither had my father; it's been a few generations since the last Death Mage was found."

"Excuses, excuses," Solo said dismissively.

Still a bit miffed, the shorter blond turned back towards Duo. "Normally we'd still be out in the physical world instead of here but—"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Duo grumbled as he floated over to the blob.

"I can at least tell you what it is you're looking for," the blond said helpfully, his need to help others not diminished in the least.

"Yeah, that helps a lot," Duo said, his sarcasm going over the blond's head this time around. "It's like I'm a fuckin' computer," he muttered to himself as he melded into the blob's membrane and disappeared within.

The moment Duo was gone from projected sight, Solo turned towards him. "Don't'cha think you're forcing him ta learn too much in too little time?"

"Time is one of the things we don't have a lot of," Quatre answered instantly. "If Duo can't have as much power at his disposal as he'll possibly need, he'll be easy prey—"

"Dat's a bullshit reason and ya know it," Solo interrupted. "Both of us know that it takes years ta master a spell and ya haven't gotten him ta learn da chants properly. An' dun give me dat shit 'bout not havin' a lot of time."

"What do you want me to say?" Quatre demanded. "You well know that the chants are meaningless. Why force him to learn something useless?"

"'Cause it teaches focus and control," Solo argued back. "How can he empty his mind without da chants? Can ya answer dat?"

"Duo already knows how to do that," Quatre retorted, getting more and more peeved by the second. "He's a Gundam pilot, remember? He had to empty his mind out so that he could engage in battle!"

"Doin' it for magic and doin' it for killin' are two different things, blondie," Solo snarled back.

"So you think you can do a better job, is that it?" Quatre sneered. He didn't want to sound nasty but who was it around here that was the expert on this? "Let me remind you that my family has been training and teaching the Death Mages for centuries, if not millennia's. I know _I_ know what I'm doing."

"But didn't ya say so yerself dat you an' yer family hasn't done it fer generations?" Solo shot back. "I think you may've forgotten some things, like da fuckin' basics."

"You think you can do better?" Quatre nearly snarled, starting to lose his composure. If only his father could see him now…

"Think? I've been doin' better!" Solo declared.

"Oh really? Then how?"

"Ya know, little things. How ta conserve power here and how ta cut some stuff there. Ya been here for a lot of dat, 'member?"

Damn it, the guy had a point, but he had generations of proven Winner history to defend here. However, before he could reply to this latest statement, Duo emerged slightly from the blob before them, his head being the only part of him that was visible.

"Hey, I think I found somethin'," he reported, seemingly oblivious to the tension between the two blonds. "C'mon over here and check it Quat."

Shooting Solo a glare, the smaller blond floated over towards Duo, stopping before his friend and trying to get rid of any enmity he felt for the other's friend. Was it just him or was he starting to sympathize with Heero now?

---

Returning to the physical world, Solo found himself still a bit disgruntled by his blond contemporary and his attitude. That rich boy really thought highly of himself, didn't he? Still, he'd tolerate the other if only because of Duo; he knew without a doubt that it would make the Kid unhappy to hear he wasn't getting along with another of his friends.

Sigh, when did this thing get so complicated?

He was really beginning to miss the old, simple times of surviving on the streets. Sure people said that it was uncivilized to do that but if this were being civilized (you know, the whole thing with taking over the world and being nice to people he didn't like), he'd take the simple, kill-or-be-killed streets any day.

Perhaps he should have been paying more attention to the so-called lesson here. He just blinks once and suddenly Duo's gone without a trace and Quatre over there doesn't look too concerned about it. Frowning, he tried to sense if Duo had cast a spell or something over to find practically nothing where he last saw his friend.

If that wasn't a cause for worry, he didn't know what else could count. Too bad Duo didn't leave another note lying around…

Suddenly, he felt a featherlight touch stroking up the bare skin of his arm and he was put on high alert as a luminescent set of floating teeth hovered just about a foot away from him. Now wasn't that familiar?

Figuring out just what was going on, the blond shot his arms out and wrapped them around the invisible form, all the while saying, "Ya little brat! Think you're a funnyman, huh?"

And just like that, Duo faded back into existence again, that mad grin still on his face, which only disappeared when Solo shoved, said face into his chest. Moving his arms around so that he got the other in a one-armed headlock, he proceeded to give the other a noogie as punishment for this little prank.

"Solo! Let go!" Duo cried out as he squirmed in the other's longer arms. Behind him, Quatre was clutching his sides as he laughed his ass off at the scene.

"Say uncle and I might consider it," Solo declared.

"Don't say I didn't warn ya," Duo muttered though the blond overheard him. He only had a second to wonder about it before he found himself being flipped over Duo and onto his back, straight on the floor. He let out a lungful of air and stared dazedly at the ceiling, wondering just how the hell he had gotten there.

Blondie's laughter wasn't doing anything to help with that either.

Now this was an interesting view. From his point of view, Duo was upside down, giving his smug smirk a weird vibe to it. It was like he was frowning upside down or something. Then, with smugness abound, Duo poked him teasingly on his forehead.

"What'cha think about that, Solo?" he teased.

"I think you're gettin' full of yourself," he retorted. "I'd like ya ta try that one again."

"Okay, but you're gonna have ta get up for that," Duo shrugged.

"That's not…" he trailed off. "Ya know, sometimes it just ain't worth da effort."

"Givin' up?" Duo asked. "That's not like you."

"Maybe," Solo replied as he sat up and accidentally rammed his head into Duo's. The two fell back clutching their aching noggins as Quatre howled with mirth nearby.

"Fuck! Again?!" Solo groaned. "Do you have a fuckin' magnet in that head of yours?"

"Fuck you," Duo retorted, carefully sitting back up, the palm of his hand pressed firmly to his forehead.

"That a challenge?" Solo narrowed his eyes.

"Why? Wanna make something outta it?" Duo replied, slowly turning transparent until he was completely invisible.

Solo raised his eyebrow at that but now that he had seen the spell in action, he could tell that it was a passive spell, the type that was typically overlooked in favor of active spells. Wouldn't know it was there if either you weren't watching it or actively searching for a spell. Adrian had pulled a few of these on him and even then he couldn't figure out a way to counter them.

"Turns out Duo's specialty is illusions," Quatre said offhandedly. "Though, this is the first time someone's turned themselves invisible with one that I've ever heard of."

"Illusion huh?" Solo commented. "Well ain't that going ta be a bitch," he muttered as he felt eyes boring into him from behind. Detached snickering wafting the air around him.

Oh, he was going to give that brat a good one…


	20. When Solo met Morrigu

Author's Note: Title should pretty much tell you everything. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language, slight violence

When Solo met Morrigu

Wufei had to admit that having to share a room with Winner had to be infinitely better than rooming with Yuy. He put his heart out to Barton who made the willing sacrifice to stay with the bullheaded pilot. That couldn't be good for anyone's health.

Speaking of health, he caught sight of something…odd on his way to the kitchen that morning. Now either he was hallucinating or he was watching a floating braid making its way to the refrigerator. It was absolutely ridiculous and yet there it was. Had all his psychological problems finally caught up with him? Was he losing his sanity at long last?

The door to the refrigeration unit opened up and blocked sight of the weaving braid and for the moment, the mesmerizing spell the rope of hair had over him broke. Okay, the absurdity of all this was making it hard to believe that he had seen what he had seen. It was time to get to the bottom of this; there is only one person around here that he knew played tricks and had a braid.

"Maxwell?" he demanded, positive that he knew who the culprit was yet still a bit unsure after everything he had experienced recently. He didn't want to go and make a big deal out of nothing…

"Sup, Wu?" Maxwell spoke, his head peaking out over the door of the refrigerator, visible and everything.

Wufei rubbed his eyes and took a real good look at what was before him. Yes there still was that braid and yes, there it was connected to the familiar head which was looking at him with those discerning violet eyes. Maybe he shouldn't shove away the possibility that his psychological problems were catching up with him…

"Something wrong?" Maxwell asked innocently, the concern in his voice palpable.

"Just seeing things," he muttered perhaps a little too loudly.

"Perhaps you should go back to bed," the braided one suggested. "Probably isn't anything too serious that a little sleep can't fix."

"Yeah, maybe you're right," Wufei muttered.

Pulling away from the fridge, Maxwell engaged in one of his more uncouth habits. That is, of course, drinking straight from the juice carton without a cup as a middle man. How disgusting.

Maxwell closed the door to the kitchen appliance and leaned his back up against it, taking another swig straight from the carton. However, that wasn't what captured Wufei's attention. It was the fact that Maxwell's legs were conspicuously missing and yet he was still standing…hovering right there.

Okay, he definitely needed to get some more sleep.

As he turned away, he didn't catch the large grin on Duo's face or the gleam in his violet eyes.

Nor had he remembered that they had run out of juice yesterday and that there was a white stain of Duo's upper lip that resembled a milk mustache.

---

Watching Wufei leave thinking that he was losing his mind, Duo waited until he heard the sound of a door closing before he began snickering, covering his mouth with a hand. Damn that had been great! Now, just what else could he do with these new talents?

---

This place was flooded in power, Pike determined as he surveyed the large structure he found himself in, slowly pacing along the railed walkway and peering at the large, visible labyrinth created in the ancient days.

There were many substances in the world that were rich in magical power and one of those substances happened to be human blood. The very life forces in the liquid retained vast stores of magic that many people found as a short cut to possessing awesome power. That was true yet taking magic out of blood did eventually have its negative effects that quickly overpowered the benefits.

In this place, though, where blood being spilt here had been a common occurrence in long ago, forgotten days; so much so that the crimson liquid had soaked into the very earth itself and had stained the very foundations of this structure.

It was absolutely perfect for his designs, the artistic value being an added plus to it.

Wind blew into his pale white hair and he closed his eyes to focus more on the cool sensations that his skin was perceiving, ignoring the stares of other nearby people who thought he was "odd." His pale skin probably didn't help with making people think he was albino but he had never been one to care about the opinions of others much less the people who made those opinions.

A simple communication spell was all that was needed to summon his "work crew," so to speak, and he waited patiently until a soft, feminine voice spoke up from behind him.

"What do you want now? Can't you see we're busy?" an irritated female voice said angrily.

"Set up here," he stated, not even hearing the words that were spoken to him.

"Are you mental?!" the female voice exclaimed. "This is a public spot!"

"Has that ever stopped you before?" he asked rhetorically. "Fill out the center arena, set up the spells of silence, have everything ready by tomorrow night. We'll be having company then."

"Didn't you listen to a word I said?" the female nearly shrieked at him.

"Nope, not a word," he said with a monotone. "Now get to work."

He walked away from her without another word not listening to anything she shouted at him. He knew his craft very well and this wasn't his first hunt, not at all. He stopped before one of the pillars that held the building's structure up and he placed a hand on it, admiring the design and the exertion put into it. A master craftsman was involved with this, he was sure of it.

"Do you really think that this is all necessary?" another voice spoke from above, the sensuous sound going over his pale head. "And especially in such a public place?"

"You and your master were the ones who told me he was in this city," he stated dryly. "That wouldn't happen to be a lie, now would it?"

"Indeed we did," the vampiric Morrigu confirmed as he jumped off from his perch and landed gracefully next to the hunter. "But the reason I'm here is to make sure that you don't get sidetracked."

"Hn," he grunted, neither denying nor confirming his employer's suspicions.

"Geez, you're just like those statues you love so much," Morrigu complained. "So cold and unheeding. Maybe I can warm you up a bit…"

"Don't," Pike said. "You came to me, not the other way around. Let me do my job and you do yours. Now leave. You're cologne is stinking up the air."

"Everyone wants a piece of me," Morrigu shot back, nevertheless walking away. "I'll find a way to get your blood boiling, just like the Death Mage's."

Pike narrowed his eyes, not looking back as the other vanished from sight. Oh, he would get the chance to boil his blood alright, but not before he got his hands on the Death Mage first…

---

"Aren't ya in da least bit tired?" Solo asked, a small smile on his lips as he trained his eyes on the energetic braided bundle of energy in front of him as the two of them walked down the street into downtown Rome. "I mean, ya just finished another of those lessons and all…"

"Just tired of being cooped in," Duo shrugged, hands stuffed firmly into his pockets. "'Sides, I left them a note if they get worried."

"Yeah, and we all know how that one worked out last time," Solo rolled his eyes.

"Hey, I left it in plain sight," Duo said defensively. "There's no way they're gonna miss it this time! And anyway, I don't think Wufei's gonna want to see me anytime soon."

Solo smiled wryly at that. "Ya gotta point there," he acknowledged as he recalled what had occurred earlier that morning.

"_Don't we have anymore juice?" an irritated Wufei grumbled as he peered into the fridge. "Or did Maxwell drink it?" Without waiting for an answer from the others, he pulled out the milk carton and began pouring himself a glass._

"_I'm fairly sure we're out," Trowa said, not looking at the other. "In fact, I remember finishing the last of it yesterday myself."_

_Wufei paused in the midst of sipping his milk. "Wait, are you saying that there wasn't any this morning?"_

"_That's exactly what he said," Heero grumbled, putting his two cents in as he glared balefully at an oblivious Solo._

"_But…but I was up this morning! I saw him drink from the juice carton!" Wufei exclaimed. Then things began to add up in his head as well as clearer memories of what had happened earlier. Dropping his glass in disgust, he shouted "MAXWELL! I don't know how you did it but I swear on my honor that you'll pay for THIS!"_

A quick retreat later found the two L2 natives strolling the streets without a care, both having grins growing on their faces as they reminisced.

"You're turning into a regular Cheshire cat, ain't ya?" Solo chuckled.

"Hey, if the shoe fits," Duo shrugged, a mischievous light in his eyes as his braid faded out of visibility.

"Might wanna tone that down," the blond cautioned, a quick eye scanning their surroundings to see if anyone was paying any attention to them. "People might think you're weird."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Duo mock-pouted, his braid returning back to visibility.

"Maybe I spoke too soon," Solo groused. Seeing Duo brighten slightly at those words, he decided to add something else. "You've always been weird so it shouldn't be too much of a difference."

"That's it! I'm not talking to you anymore!" Duo huffed as he turned his head to face forward and stuck his nose up in the air snobbishly.

"Aw, you're so cute when ya pout," Solo teased, reveling internally when he hit his mark and Duo shot a glare at him. Winking, he said, "Like anything ya see?"

"You're full of yourself," Duo shot back and looked ahead, shoulders slouching.

It was a good thing that the blond was taller than the other; when Duo sped up in a childish attempt to get away from him, he just used his longer legs to keep pace with him, a small smile on his lips. Man, Duo hadn't changed as much as he thought he had. Deep down, there was that street kid in him still trying to fight against the adult that had taken its place. Ya really can't take the streets out of the person, even if you take the person out of the streets.

After a few minutes of the cold shoulder, most of which Solo wasn't paying attention to, Duo finally spoke up, asking, "You hungry?"

He was always better at the waiting game than the Kid was. Smirking, he replied, "Sure. Got anything in mind?"

"Not really," Duo groused. "Guess I'll know when I find it."

"Then lead on," Solo said. "Got nothing else better ta do."

"Of course you wouldn't," Duo rolled his eyes. "You're just a regular slacker, ain't ya?"

"Now let's not get into da namecallin', brat," the blond retorted. "You're promisin' food, remember?"

"Now when did I ever say I'd _pay_ for it?" Duo shot back.

Solo blinked at that one. Damn, he hadn't thought of that… "It was implied that you'd do da buyin' since ya were da one ta talk about food first. Ain't that the way things work?"

"Only in theory," Duo replied without elaboration. "Hope your wallet's fat cause I have the hankering for something rich and expensive."

Okay, now he was taking this too far. Since when had the brat ever got so effusive that he couldn't tell he was teasing or bluffing? He just sounds so natural that it might as well have been a flat out lie despite the fact that he probably wasn't doing such a thing. When did that happen?

"If he has problems purchasing you a meal, I'd be more than happy to do so."

The voice came from nowhere without warning and the blond felt all his internal alarms go off. Spinning around, he came nearly face to face with a tall, pale man with spiky, silver hair with black bangs and a teasing smirk that he didn't like one bit. Hell, the guy was taller than him and that just rankled in his keister for some reason. There was something not right about this guy, especially with those pitch black eyes. There was something funny about them though he couldn't tell what.

"Holy crap!" Duo exclaimed first, a hand placed over his chest in mock-fear. "Don't sneak up on people like that! You damn near gave Solo here a heart attack!"

Wait a minute…

"What da fuck that's suppose ta mean?" he demanded as he whirled around to face Duo. "Are ya trying ta poke holes in my rep or something?"

"Like it ain't full of holes already," Duo replied before returning all attention to this pale stranger, something that miffed the blond. "What brings you all the way out here Morrigu? Shouldn't you be living it up back in paradise?"

"Vacation was over," the pale man shrugged. "We all can't vanish off the face of the earth, you know," he continued in a teasing voice. "Besides, my talents are needed out here; the city wants some renovations done on a few of its attractions and voila, here I am."

Duo raised an eyebrow at that. "You're in construction? I don't think you'd be able to afford a stay in the Caribbean with that kind of pay."

"You wound me," Morrigu said with mock-hurt in his voice. "You'd really think I'd be in the _construction_ business? All that hard work and manual labor? No, I just happened to be…quite good in fixing up old structures, modernizing them while still retaining their historical facades and…well…"

"I get it," Duo said slowly. "Never heard of something like that before."

"Not surprised; most of the public hasn't," Morrigu shrugged. "It's an expensive business to get into but well worth it once you have it made."

"Like da construction business," Solo butted in, crossing his arms over his chest. He may not have understood half the things the guy was saying but he pretty much figured he was tiptoeing around it. And since when did he and Duo meet? Why would he even know someone who was so…so…

Creepy.

They had Heero for that.

"Ouch," Morrigu jested. "Your…little friend here is a bit…hostile, wouldn't you say?"

"Solo? Nah, he's just worried," Duo said, slapping the blond on the back.

"Worried? About what?" Morrigu asked, confused.

"Nothing ya need to know about," Solo spoke up, his intense green eyes boring into the pale man. With every word the man said, the more he found that he didn't like him for some reason. He had no idea why he was acting like this but whenever Duo was involved, he was willing to let go a bit of his rationality.

Look at who the Kid surrounded himself with: an emotionless prick, a prissy rich blond, a silent guy with an awesome looking bang, and a stick-up-his-ass China guy. Hannah was cool, though. Normal even.

"I get it," Morrigu raised his hands up in the surrender pose. "Touchy subject. Now, about providing you, my little friend, with some nourishment," he said, turning towards Duo, completely ignoring the blond.

"Now that you mention it, I do recall doing something about that," Duo said, his voice sly. "You willing to pay?"

"Haven't I always?" Morrigu replied, a smirk on his face.

What was that suppose to mean?

"Lead forth, my friend, we have a meal waiting for you," Morrigu continued with a grandiose wave of his hand.

With a happy grin on his face that Solo didn't like being aimed in this stranger's direction, he was pleasantly surprised when Duo snatched one of his hands from his crossed arms and began lugging him down the street. He was so caught off guard that he actually stumbled for a couple steps but he managed to regain his footing and let himself be dragged off like a ragdoll.

To be honest, it wasn't that bad. At least it meant Duo hadn't forgotten about him while talking with that too tall guy. And besides, if Duo wanted to drag him around by his hand, who was he to object?

---

Okay, he almost felt sorry for Morrigu's pocketbook. Almost.

That's what that salad eating bitch got for underestimating their stomachs! Did he honestly think that their stomachs were as shriveled up as his? Telling by his face as they utterly devoured a four-person meal in less than ten minutes, that was more than likely what he thought.

"You can really put it away, can't you?" Morrigu tried to jest as he winced at a large belch Duo emitted.

"Sorry, shoulda warned ya," Duo said apologetically, his voice mellow with contentment. Solo almost snorted at that but refrained from doing so just because he didn't want Duo thinking he hated another of his new friends. Another belch escaped him but he only sighed happily as he rubbed his stomach.

"I guess it's true then what they say," Morrigu replied. "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

"Amen to that," Duo agreed.

Solo didn't like it; that salad-eating bitch was up to something, he could tell. The way he pointedly ignored him while paying all his attention to Duo was a giveaway and he had thought he caught glimpses of what it looked like just in those unnatural dark eyes.

"Let's hope my wallet can take the bill," Morrigu joked as he pulled out his checkbook. "I have a feeling you gave it a real good hurting."

"Once again, sorry."

"Don't be," Morrigu said, waving the matter aside. "It was I who misguessed your gastronomic system and this is the price I pay…but next time perhaps we should do this at some place, I don't know, cheaper?"

"Now don't get like that," Solo finally spoke up, seeing an opportunity to send a jab at the other. "Next time ask what we're in the mood for and maybe ya can get out of it with your clothes on. Wouldn't want ya to be going around with a barrel, ya know?"

"I'll keep that in mind," Morrigu deadpanned as he gave him an unreadable look. "Say," he said, eyes narrowing, "have we met before?"

"I'd think I'd remember seeing someone like you 'fore," Solo replied, trading him look for look though he did his best to mask his malevolence with jolly.

"Must be my imagination then," the pale man said. Looking down at his watch, he said, "Would you look at the time, I need to be getting back. It was a…pleasure dining with you."

"Anytime," Duo said.

"Indeed," the pale man said as he snatched Duo's hand and lightly brushed his lips against the back of the limb.

For a moment, Solo felt a rush of possessive jealousy wash over him and he fisted a hand that was hidden underneath the tablecloth. He was not liking that, not one bit.

"If you will excuse me, it's been a pleasure," Morrigu said as he backed away slowly and headed to the register. Much to Solo's dismay, Duo remained frozen in his seat, staring down at his hand as if he was hypnotized. From the corner of his eye, the blond watched as their generous sustenance donator paid their bill and then headed over to the restrooms.

Seeing his chance, he muttered to Duo, "Gotta take a piss," and scurried over to where he last saw Morrigu. Of course, you could call it scurrying if that meant taking big ass steps with his long ass legs, but whatever. With each step he took, the shadows tensed about him as he called for their assistance. Before he had even arrived at the restroom, he knew for sure that Morrigu was the only one in there but instead of slamming the door open like in some shitty movie, he instead pushed it open as if he was going in there to do what everybody else did in there.

He found Morrigu by himself, washing his hands at one of the fancy basins that the restaurant had and casting the shadows over to block the door, he then broke all conventional wisdom and grabbed the other by his lapels.

"Who da fuck are you?" he hissed his demand, glaring at the other man with his intense green eyes. "How da fuck do ya know Duo?"

"My, my, I didn't think we'd meet up again this soon," Morrigu commented, not even phased by this unexpected turn of events. "Was the meal not to your liking?"

"Shut da fuck up and answer da fuckin' question," Solo demanded, pulling the other's face closer to his. He would've shoved the asshole into one of the tiled walls but the guy was just…too tall. That would make this whole thing really awkward…

"Which one?" Morrigu retorted snidely. "The first or the second? And who does this anymore anyways? Do you have a claim on our mutual friend or is there something else?"

"I oughta pound ya," Solo growled. Getting control over himself, he tightened his grip on the man's shirt and snarled, "Leave Duo da fuck alone, man. I'm only gonna warn ya once and if I even think you're near him, you don't want ta know what da fuck I'm going ta do to you? Get me?"

"I'm sorry, I'm a little slow today," Morrigu jeered back. "Can you tell me when Mr. Maxwell ever left you in charge of who he spends his time with? He never happened to mention that when I bought him that shake."

Solo was getting livid and the shadows around them were expressing that anger. Yet this asshole didn't even seem fazed by it all. Either he knew what magic was and wasn't afraid of it or he was completely oblivious to it. The blond wanted to go for the latter but his gut was screaming at him that it was the former.

He had learned long ago to trust whatever his gut said; it was usually right.

"Just stay away from him," the blond warned threateningly, "or I might just have ta get medieval on your ass." As he said that last bit, he raised a finger up, allowing a strain of gold-colored magical energy to form on the fingernail and extend outwards like a blade. It had been a little spell that Adrian had taught him some time ago but up until now, the blond hadn't seen any use for it.

For some reason, Adrian always said it was an assassination spell but even now he didn't take that explanation seriously. A spell was a spell and right now it was a useful one because of the fact he was using it to make this asshole soil himself, what with the way the guy was staring with bulging eyes at the finger.

A foul smelling stench picked up by his nose told him that perhaps he had succeeded a bit too much.

"Fuck," Solo sneered. "Did you do what I think ya did?" Not waiting for an answer, he spun around and shoved the other into an open bathroom stall, Morrigu falling backwards to land on the toilet seat ass first. "Clean that shit off ya," the blond told him, "but next time, I'll do more than make ya shit yourself. Remember that."

Dispelling both of his spells, he whirled around on his heel and left the bathroom, returning quickly to Duo who had finally managed to wake up from his stupor.

"What took ya so long?" Duo whined as the blond arrived. "I was beginning to think you fell in."

"Ha ha ha," Solo replied mockingly. "You're too impatient for your own good, ya brat. Lets run before they decide ta cancel that check, 'kay?"

"Nervous?" Duo asked, his lips splitting to form a toothy grin. "Is there something you're hiding? C'mon, tell me!"

"Later," Solo told him. "I wanna get outta here already. It's too fancy." True, yes, but it wasn't the whole truth but he wasn't going to be adding onto that now was he? If Duo could do it, so could he.

"Fine," Duo sighed, "but don't think I've given up on ya yet. Let me get you alone and I'll have you singing like a canary in no time."

"Oh yeah? What makes ya think that?" the blond challenged.

"Tell me, have you ever heard 'It's a Small World?'" Duo asked instead, his grin not dissipating in the least.

---

Emerging from the restroom, Morrigu was quivering in rage.

He had underestimated his competition, it seemed, and in more ways than one. But perhaps this could be used to their advantage. The more information that art-loving freak had, the better chance they had of capturing the Death Mage…

But why should he? The Mage trusted him to some extent. If he played his cards right, then perhaps he could get the Death Mage to come to them of his own violation. He smiled grimly at that; oh yes, he could see it all now but he needed to be careful. From what he had seen of those that declared themselves his guardians, this was going to be harder to do than getting dear Janus to fall into his favored hypnotism spell.

And he was always one for a challenge; why should this be any different? A plan was forming in his mind and all he needed to do was work some details out first before he put it into motion.

However, there still was one question that wouldn't leave him alone. Where did that blond shit ever learn _that_ spell?


	21. Movie Night Fiasco

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

Movie Night Fiasco

"Verso!" Morrigu roared as he burst into the building, his rage white hot as he searched for Xavien's little "specialist." He was still pissed off at that blond shit who dared to threaten _him_ of all people and he wasn't the type of person to just let something like that go. There had been ample opportunities all over the city for him to flirt with the natives but the stench from his previous soiling had every female, and male, in a ten foot radius staying away from him. It also hurt that he happened to be walking downwind at the time.

Now where the hell was that stupid, little art freak?

"What?" a bland voice spoke up from behind him, causing him to jump in shock. When did Pike get behind him?

Pike was looking at him, annoyed, and waiting impatiently to hear whatever it was that he wanted to say. It was as if he was giving up his own, more valuable, time just to humor him; well fuck that!

"How much for you to kill someone?" he demanded seethingly.

Pike actually blinked in surprise at that. "What? Kill? I'm only being paid to _capture_. There was nothing in the contract about _killing_ anyone."

"Listen to me, you fucking little merc," Morrigu snapped, his rage overwhelming his usual levelheadedness. "This has nothing to do with the Death Mage, only so little shit that's gotten in over his head. Now, I'll ask you again: how much to kill someone?"

"Look, I'm already going through a lot setting this trap up," Pike said, ignoring a feminine scoff from the background, "and I'd like to keep this as simple as possible. I was hired to capture the Death Mage and that's all I'm going to do until _after_ I do so. Then I'll be open to do your assassination thing."

"You leave me no choice then," Morrigu hissed as his eyes widened further and his black eyes became hypnotic. The sensuous man celebrated internally as he saw his spell take its affect on the other as Pike froze in his place, completely open to any and all instructions he gave him.

Just like that nice piece of ass Adrian. It was really a shame he had to die…

"Now," Morrigu began to speak when suddenly multitudes of binding spells wrapped around him and held him still, going even as far as to give him trouble breathing right. It was as if all the air in his body was being squeezed out of him.

"Let him go," the feminine voice from before spoke, only this time it was so cold that it made the air icy. Emerging from the shadows, a quite tall woman with olive dark skin and highlighted brown hair frowned at him, her clothing tight yet thick on her body but allowing her to move with a grace that signified strength. From all around, other of Pike's men emerged, each glaring down at Morrigu with a promise of death.

Indeed this was not the right battle to be picking…

He tried to speak but found trouble just trying to get enough air to speak. The woman rolled her eyes but the binding spells eased off only enough to allow him to work his vocal cords. "It's sort of hard to do what you want when I'm on the verge of being crushed to death," he tried to jest, wincing as the binding spells tightened for a moment then eased off again.

"Do as I say or the next time your master sees you, you'll be the size of a crushed tomato," the woman stated coldly. "Release him now."

"Fine," Morrigu grumbled as he looked back at the frozen Pike. "You are released, do what you will," he gasped out not because of the binding spells but because this was one of the first times he had ever freed someone else from his copyrighted spell.

Immediately, Pike began moving on his own, adjusting the vest he wore. "Thank you Felicia," he said. "It was starting to get a little tense there."

Not answering him, the now named Felicia rolled her eyes and headed back into the shadows with the rest of Pike's men, the binding spells lifting off Morrigu in the process. Now free, Morrigu fell to his hands and knees, panting as he tried to get enough air back into his body. Over him, Pike tsked like a disappointed parent.

"That was a very stupid thing to do," he said as he turned away. "Despite this, I am still not going to kill anyone unless they get in my way. From this moment, that also includes you. Go back to your master like the dog you are and wait for my return with the Death Mage."

Still crouched on the floor, Morrigu trembled in anger. This day, which had started quite well for your information, was turning incredibly shitty real quickly. First the Death Mage's ass of a bodyguard threatens him, next he's being put down by a freaking mercenary with an art fetish and his crew of fellow bounty hunters and assassins.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow he would make a move and he would show them all that he was not a man to be mess with, no how, no way. His dignity would be avenged.

---

"Good Duo, good," Quatre praised as he viewed the multiple illusions of tiny dancers floating all over in the air, moving with a beat that only they could hear. Each dancer was distinct, each one paired with one male or female and all their movements were identical as they spiraled around the room, pausing only for the dancers to part and bow to one another before starting the dance all over again.

In the middle of it sat Duo who you could tell had a light sheen of sweat on his skin and his eyes closed tightly with concentration as he did everything in his power to maintain the spell. He was still as a statue, even his breathing wasn't really noticeable, and seemed ignorant of his surroundings.

From the wall that Solo found himself leaning against, arms crossed over his chest, he found that while impressed, he wasn't awed by the illusion. Duo must've been conforming to Quatre's tastes or something as the other blond was moved by the sight.

Yes, just another practice session this night, nothing really new to learn. Of course, that was what Quatre thought, not taking into consideration that Solo might be extending the little lessons on after they were suppose to be over. Even though Duo was a quick study, he was still using the chants for some of the more rudimentary spells, like the light emitting orbs or the common bolts of magic. The only spell Duo had really mastered was that illusion one, the power he accessed when going into "berserker mode" as the blond liked to call it every now and again not counting. Since blondie was always going about how they didn't have a lot of time on their hands, Solo had taken it upon himself to help boost up Duo's endurance and stamina when it came to using magic. Hey, every little bit helps.

Finally, Duo seemed to get pooped enough that he couldn't hold the illusion(s) any longer and all the floating, tiny dancers faded away, the room lightening up from its dimmed state. Just like that, Duo's body shrank in on itself and Duo gasped out to take in as deep a breath as he could. Seeing how his arms were numbly laying in his lap was a dead giveaway that he was tired.

"You're making good progress," Quatre said, his eyes actually glimmering in admiration. "It shouldn't be long now before you complete the more basic stuff and we can go into the more complicated."

"That wasn't complicated?" Duo panted, looking up at Quatre with deadened eyes. "You have got to be fucking kiddin' me."

Solo couldn't help but snort at that; Duo really thought he knew it all, didn't he?

"I've seen better," Quatre admitted, though you could tell that he didn't like deflating his friend's ego. "More practice is all you need, Duo. There's no better way to do it."

"Ya know Quat, I love ya but there are times when I just wanna strangle ya," Duo sighed tiredly.

"You're not the only one," Quatre replied in jest. "I recall my father wanting to do the same once upon a time."

"Oh yeah? Well unlike him, I'll succeed."

"Of course you will," the blond chuckled indulgently. "Now, if you think you're up to it, the other guys thought it'd be nice to have like a movie night tonight."

"Sure, just give me a couple minutes," Duo said tiredly. "You should know how much this stuff takes outta ya."

"Don't I know it," Quatre replied. "Take your time and I'll see you out there."

Finally, Solo thought to himself as the door closed behind the other blond. He was just starting to think he'd never leave.

"Hey Solo," Duo called out to him as the braided brat leaned himself against the bed, "You workin' hard or hardly workin'?"

Always count on the brat to give you an opening. Now was the time to ask about something that had been buggin' him for quite some time.

"Why do ya do that?" he asked quietly, knowing that Duo heard him as the other gave him a queer look. "Ya know, act like that," he elaborated.

"Act like what?" Duo asked, confused.

Solo rolled his eyes. Sure the brat would give you an opening but that doesn't mean he'll make things any easier. "I mean like how ya act with those other guys, how ya been actin' with me lately. You're like a different person for a bit and I only know it's you because I've known you. You weren't like that back on the streets, Kid."

"People change Solo," Duo answered stiffly, as if he didn't want to get into this. "We can't all stay the same."

"Oh, have I changed?" Solo asked. "Care ta tell me how?"

Duo frowned up at him. "What crawled up your ass? Why do you want to talk about something unimportant anyway?"

Trying to change the subject, eh? Might work with some people (coughHeerocough) but it wasn't going to work with him! "Question is what crawled up yours?" he shot back. "When I first find ya, you're actin' like yourself but when these other guys showed up, ya suddenly turned into a clown for some reason! And I hate clowns!"

"Hey, no need to be ragging on Trowa," Duo began but got cut off.

"Duo, Kid," Solo sighed. "Did something else happen while I was gone? Why are ya tryin' ta hide in broad daylight when ya don't need to? At least with me."

"You wouldn't understand," Duo said quietly.

"Try me," the blond said determinedly. "If ya want to start somewhere, maybe ya can begin with why I see ya staring in the mirror all da time. What? Ya think I didn't notice?"

Duo was looking at him in surprise. Apparently, whatever excuse he would give he knew wasn't going to fly with him, which was good, Solo thought to himself. Probably was going to say something like admiring his sexy self but that would imply that the Kid was narciss…narsissis…narkis…that one word where you're obsessed with yourself, and he knew for a fact that Duo was not that, whatever that word was.

Then a second thought occurred to him. "And don't say you had somethin' on your face either cause whenever ya did, you stared at yourself for too long."

"You're not letting this go, are you?" Duo asked wryly as he pulled himself to sit on the bed.

"I taught ya everything I knew," Solo replied. "So talk. What's going on inside that pretty little head of yours?"

Duo stared back at him for the longest time and while Solo traded him look for look, inwardly he was starting to get a bit unnerved. Why was he staring at him like that? Was this going to be something he didn't want to hear? And would it explain this change in behavior he had been noticing ever since they were found by the others in that warehouse?

Finally Duo sighed and looked down and Solo was tempted for a moment to go to his side and hold him. Well, he did do the first part by walking over and sitting down next to him but he didn't pull him into his arms, as he had wanted to do.

"I don't know anymore," Duo muttered as he seemed to shrink further in on himself. "Maybe that's why I really stare; to see if I can find me anymore."

"Come again?" Solo asked, almost hit off track. Okay, he was starting to lose him…

"Ever since the…Church, I've been trying to be something else," Duo admitted, his voice low. "I tried to be just like you, ya know?"

"Really? Ya mean tall, strong, and sexy?"

Duo chuckled at that before going back into morose mode. "Yeah, I…I don't know, it's all a blur from the time after the Church to my stowing away on that Sweeper ship. I just…I wanted to be strong, just like you were…are. Maybe I was too weak or something and needed to pretend to be someone else, I guess."

"Weak? Ya gotta be kiddin' me," Solo said though there wasn't much humor in his voice. See, he could be serious! "You're one of da strongest guys I know, and that's sayin' a lot."

"Thanks, I guess," Duo shrugged. "Still…I don't know…"

"What?" he asked.

"It's just…it's just that I feel I'm still pretending," he finally blurted out. "I feel that I'm someone else, so much so that I can't help but be that person. And every time I look in a mirror, I'm trying to find myself. The real me. The one I was when it was just us on the streets. I think I'm losing myself Solo. I can feel it."

"You're not," Solo stated, putting both of his hands on Duo's shoulders and turning so that he could stare straight into those fearful violet eyes. "And you won't. Not if I have anything ta say 'bout it. You can be a bigshot Gundam pilot or whatever to everybody but ta me, you're just Kid, the little annoying brat who wouldn't leave me alone."

"Oh, that really helps," Duo said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Glad to know what you really thought of me."

"Did I ever say that I wanted ta strangle ya," Solo challenged but with a look shot at him by Duo, he relented. "Okay, there were a couple times but that was it! 'Sides, I really liked havin' ya around me. I wasn't alone and I guess that's what was important out there. Not ta be alone."

"Charmer," Duo said though he did have a small smile on his face. That in and of itself felt like an accomplishment to the blond. Then something popped into his mind and he just couldn't resist.

"And anyway, who else would I want ta marry?" he asked slyly, watching in sadistic joy as Duo's face heated up into a bright red. "Ya didn't get me a ring but I guess we can make do," he continued as he brought Duo up against him, looking above the other's head thoughtfully.

"I can't believe…of all the things," Duo grumbled to himself. "You do know we were still kids then, right?"

"Aw, so ya don't like me anymore?" Solo pouted, sticking out his lower lip slightly.

"Solo!" Duo exclaimed though he wasn't put out as much as he sounded, a light laugh coloring his voice as he pushed away from the blond whose arms suddenly felt so cold. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Well, ya can just be yourself 'round me for starters," the blond suggested. "What, you think I forgot what we were talkin' about? Honestly, Duo, I thought you knew me."

"Mind like an elephant, huh?" Duo said as he slouched down again, bummed out.

"Course I do!" Solo exclaimed. "Do ya know that I never forgot about you? You and the others? And when I left Adrian, I tried ta find you first. You don't know how scared I got when I saw that poster of you. Thought I might've lost ya for good, I did."

"Solo…I…"

"Then, when I do finally find ya, like always you're in trouble and I gotta save your ass. Not that I don't like your ass, mind you, but I would've thought ya have gotten smarter or something."

"Okay, I get it Solo."

"I mean c'mon, I would've thought ya had gotten over getting' in trouble all da time. Even when we were kids, ya attracted it like a moth ta da flame."

"Solo!" Duo exclaimed, trying to look peeved but failing miserably. "I get it. I honestly get it! I ain't stupid."

"Coulda fooled me."

"Solo!" Duo groaned, exasperated. "Ya don't have to be mean," he pouted.

"That's it," the blond said, wrapping an arm around the braided one's shoulders. "Being yourself now ain't such a drag, right? You can always be yourself 'round me, ya know?"

"Solo," Duo said, shaking his head.

"You really like sayin' my name a lot," the blond commented. "But, I'd prefer it in a different way…" leaning closer to Duo's ear, he whispered the rest, causing the other to blush a bright red.

"You can't be serious!" he nearly shrieked.

"Hey, ain't that suppose ta be what married couples do?" he asked innocently.

"You obviously don't watch a lot of comedians," Duo grumbled as he slumped against him. "Think we can put that…marry stuff behind us. That was kinda…a long time ago."

"Aw, but it's so fun embarrassin' ya!" he chirped. Getting a look from the shorter one, he acquiesced, "Okay, okay, I'll lay off it. Sheesh. Ya think ya lost your sense of humor."

"I didn't lose it, I'm just lettin' it rest," Duo sighed. "Huh, you know you're warm, right? Just like old times."

"Don't be going ta sleep on me," the blond said, smiling down at his friend. "We can save that for later. We have a movie night to go to, 'member?"

"So you want me acting 'gain so soon?" Duo retorted.

"Who ever said ya needed ta act?" Solo countered. "C'mon, up and at'um Kid."

As he helped Duo up to stand, neither he nor Duo noticed that the previously closed door was cracked open or that a Prussian blue eye was withdrawing from it, a jealous flame lit beneath the irises.

---

They had had everything set up and were just waiting on Duo to arrive. That was the scene Heero had left when he went to go retrieve his crush, a seat saved for the other ready and everything. All that was needed was for Duo to plant his tight little ass down on the couch and then this movie night would be perfect.

Those were his thoughts before he paused in front of Duo's shared room, a room he wasn't sharing with him as he used to do during the wars, as muffled voices reached his ears. Were those two talking? Didn't Duo at least remember that they were waiting for him in the living room? Well, he'd fix that but he'd go slow this time rather than barge in, as he was known to do. He had been finding himself not on Duo's good side lately and he didn't want to do something that would endure him to his bad side.

So he cracked the door open slowly and listened in to the voices speaking.

"…I've been trying to be something else. I tried to be just like you, ya know?"

What? Duo? What was he talking about, 'be something else?' Just what were they talking about in there? Looks like this was going to be a reconnaissance mission. Mission accepted. He ignored what the blond idiot said, preferring to listen to Duo's smoother voice, at least he would say it was smooth until it gradually changed into a more rougher tone.

"Yeah, I…I don't know, it's all a blur from the time after the Church to my stowing away on that Sweeper ship. I just…I wanted to be strong, just like you were…are. Maybe I was too weak or something and needed to pretend to be someone else, I guess."

Was…was this a confession? If so, then what kind of confession was Duo making? Please let it not be what he thought it would be. But if not, then…why was Duo saying all these things that made no sense? He wasn't weak; after all, he had been the one to shoot him first. And hit. Duo Maxwell was not weak; the word shouldn't even be in the same sentence! And why would he want to be just like that idiot anyway? What was so special about him?

Apparently, the blond agreed with his mental musings to a degree but Heero was not going to be admitting that anytime soon. Then Duo blurted out a bombshell.

"It's just…it's just that I feel I'm still pretending! I feel that I'm someone else, so much so that I can help but be that person. And every time I look in a mirror, I'm trying to find myself. The real me. The one I was when it was just us on the streets. I think I'm losing myself Solo. I can feel it."

Wow. Just… Wow. He…he never really thought that Duo felt like that. No really, his happy-go-lucky, braided whirlwind, love of his life…was really so insecure. He had always thought that Duo had it together and that he was just being either really vain or narcissistic by looking in all those mirrors all the time. How could he not have known and even have an inkling of this? That Duo was suffering all this time and he wasn't doing a damn thing about it.

And it hurt that Duo wasn't telling this to him to his face.

He was still new to emotions despite always telling other people to follow them. He had gotten better over the months since peace had come along. But, to him, people were a complete mystery; he had an easier time understanding quantum physics and rocket engineering than he did a simple, ordinary person. But he was getting better, really!

So then why was Duo saying all this to _him_?

"And anyway, who else would I want ta marry?"

His blood froze in his veins. That wasn't Duo who said that but…no, oh God no! Please let it not be so! He didn't know if his heart could take losing Duo when he had only just begun to fight for him…

He must have not been paying as close attention to what was being said because he felt as if he had missed one of them saying something but whatever it was, it was gone as the two in there engaged in friendly banter. Slowly, the lump that had formed in his throat fell to his stomach where it was ignited and began to burn as he saw the blond wrap his arms all over Duo.

Oh how he wanted to do that with Duo, needed to do that with him. But it wasn't him in there and that just really ate at him. It should be him in there, holding Duo close, it should be him, not that idiot! A surge of possessiveness washed over him as he continued to glare through the crack in the doorway, only pulling away when the two untangled themselves so that they could leave the room.

He clenched his fists hard and tightened his jaw so that it felt like his teeth would crack from the pressure. This was far from over and he would begin his seduction of Duo Maxwell this very night!

---

"A George Clooney Movie? I drag my ass out here to watch a fucking George Clooney movie?" Duo asked incredulously.

"What's wrong? He's a pretty decent actor," Quatre said, looking up at him innocently.

"Have you even _seen_ 'Batman and Robin'?" Duo nearly shrieked. "He made Batman gay! Batman is _not_ gay!"

"But…but he's in a bunch of good movies," Quatre tried to defend though you could tell he wasn't as…passionate about it like Duo was.

"Do you know what parts he plays? Smug and asshole. Sometimes a smug asshole! He's like that in all of his movies! He was like that even in that gayass 'Batman and Robin'! And you can't tell me that was a good movie!"

"But…I liked it," Quatre said.

This time, everyone gave the blond a look. "Were you even in the same movie theater?" Trowa asked skeptically.

"Of course! Ten of my sisters and I saw it at a classic action movie convention."

"You mean the one attached to your house?"

"…Maybe."

That was when Solo decided to speak up and anyone looking at him would've seen the mischievous gleam in his eye. "I think Clooney's not that bad," he said, minus the fact that he hadn't seen a movie in over ten years that he hadn't sneaked into.

"Shut up Solo!" Duo cried as he spun around in his seat to glare at the other.

"Well, _I_ have the remote and we're going to watch this!" Quatre declared as he waved said remote in the air. "Who has the popcorn now?"

"Quatre, Adam West did a better job as Batman and his show was campy as hell," Duo said.

"Maxwell, perhaps you ought to define what you mean by campy," Wufei spoke up, giving him a pointed look.

"Huh? Why?" he asked. "Everyone knows what campy means!"

Wufei said nothing but instead pointed to the person right next to him, Heero…

"Okay, ya got me on that," he admitted grudgingly as he folded his arms over his chest.

Wufei said nothing else as he then pointed to the person sitting on the other side of him.

"Hey, Solo don't count!" he argued, ignoring the squawk from his friend.

Wufei continued not to say anything as he then pointed at Quatre who was busy pressing the 'play' button on the remote.

"I hate you Wufei," he grumbled. "I really do."

He then proceeded to ignore the Chinaman in favor of looking at what was on the tube…and immediately regretted it. Goddamn it, there was that smug asshole being all smug…and an asshole! This was going to be a long night…

But that was not the only thing that he had to worry about that night; it seemed that the two people sitting right next to him were a bit restless. Heero was busy moving his arm to the back of the couch though the limb would move closer to his shoulders every now and then and Solo was emitting some major warning vibes. It was a bit distracting actually.

Then he found himself in the middle of a human sandwich as both Heero and Solo huddled up against him and he found himself blushing from the close proximity of two not too-bad-a-looking guys. He blamed it on the body heat the two were radiating.

Halfway through the movie, he became aware of…was that slapping? Were Solo and Heero…actually slapping each other's hands off him? No, he had to be imagining it…and man was he bad at this denial shit. Okay, now this was all starting to annoy him.

A hand gently placed itself on his head and slowly forced him to turn to face a very uncharacteristic Heero who was giving this look…he couldn't even tell what kind it was but there was fondness and kindness there and…oh. Oh.

Fuck, there was lust.

"Duo," Heero whispered against his skin, causing it to shiver as the Japanese ex-pilot leaned in closer to him.

"Yes?" he whispered back, practically frozen.

"Duo," Heero whispered back as he closed the small distance between them, his lips coming so close to his own. And for some reason, he found that he wasn't…backing…away…

Suddenly, Heero's eyes flickered to a side where something caught his attention and the next thing Duo knew, Heero was up and over him, tackling Solo right where the blond was and off the couch. The braided one found himself blinking stupidly at empty space before him but he was turning around just as quickly as the others to see both Heero and Solo wrestling on the floor, the two ramming up into the reclining chair that Wufei had commandeered earlier and causing it to fall over, Chinese pilot and all.

Light suddenly brightened the room but he paid no heed to it as he watched his two best friends fight it out on the floor, the two rolling around and running into furniture and walls, all the while cursing at one another and trying to tear each other apart.

Wufei and Trowa soon descended on the fray and tried to pull the two apart but Duo remained frozen where he sat, distressed. He grabbed the end of his braid and began stroking it with a thumb frantically as the violence only increased with Wufei and Trowa's participation.

"Guys! Guys!" Quatre shouted. "C'mon, stop!"

"Fuck you!" Heero shouted at Solo as he tried to land a very hard punch but only got the floor instead.

"Asshole!" Solo shouted back as he kicked a foot at Heero's chest but missed and instead got Wufei in his thigh.

The two were getting dangerously close to the television and that was when Quatre finally intervened with a binding spell, freezing the two combatants where they lay, glaring at one another.

"Stop this at once!" Quatre roared at them. "You're behaving like fucking children! What are your problems?!"

Both Heero and Solo growled at one another, each itching to have another go at the other.

Getting up from where he lay, hand pressed against his thigh, Wufei said, "I think a little time out is in order, don't you?"

Quatre only nodded in agreement, his movie forgotten as he continued to glare down at the other two.

Then Trowa spoke. "Where's Duo?"

The two ex-pilots whirled around to find an empty couch and no Duo sitting on it.

God damn it.


	22. The Cold Shoulder

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

The Cold Shoulder

He just needed to get out of there. This was the reason why he rebelled against the whole stay in the house plan the others had in mind. You could only stay in an enclosed space with a handful of people for so long until someone cracked and got violent.

So that was why he, Duo, was back out on the dark streets of Rome at who knows what time it was, trying to get as far away from the safe house as he possibly could just so he could try and deal with all the negative emotions that were building up within him.

After wandering for some time, he found himself planting down at a table in front of a closed restaurant, his legs stretched out before him and his body slouching down in his seat. He then proceeded to ignore all the people walking about, a few of which were couples that were being lovey-dovey and crap while he himself stared off into space as if contemplating the mysteries of life.

It wasn't the mysteries of life he was thinking about but something more on the lines of what to do with two impulsive fools back at the safe house. Heero…what was going on with that guy? Sure he had been violent in the past but that had been war and he had been in a Mobile Suit. Casualties were expected then. But now, especially when he had mellowed out, Duo couldn't figure out what was going on in that head of his.

Heero didn't just jump from being…whatever it was he was in and into pure rage like that. He was always calm and cool-headed and…oh, wait that's right. Did Heero think himself threatened by Solo? And if so, did it tie in with that attraction he had for him? Damn it, perhaps he should have nipped that in the butt when he had the chance.

And Solo, what was going on in that empty head of his? He didn't get along with Heero that much he knew, and when he had last encountered one of their confrontations, the blond had been very provoking. So was Solo responsible for Heero losing his head earlier and if so then why? What was going on in that pretty head of his once protector and best friend? He knew that Solo could be a bit much but now…there was something else added into the equation that was Solo.

He just couldn't figure out exactly what it was.

Nevertheless, his thoughts were led right back to the fight that had just occurred and what may have happened to cause it. He was still drawing up a blank and he didn't think it could be attributed to just two alpha males fighting over territory. He was missing something, he just knew it.

"Is something on your mind? Sitting out on the streets this time of night is not the best of places to do that."

He snapped his head up, silently berating himself that he hadn't been paying attention to his surroundings, a thing that had been ingrained into him long before he had ever become a Gundam pilot. Right there in front of him was a slight, Italian man who held all the stereotypical traits of an Italian man from the dark hair and eyes to the olive color of his skin. He looked friendly enough but then again, he had always been distrustful of "nice guys." If Quatre had approached him trying to be "Mr. Nice Guy," he had no idea how long it would have taken to trust him. Good thing the blond had been all business when they had first met.

"My thoughts are my own, pal, and I can think about them anywhere I want," he retorted, crossing his legs in defiance at the man.

The man instead chuckled. "Then perhaps you wouldn't mind me joining you? Certain unsavories around here would think twice about going after a pair than just one. I'm Ansinio, and what might I call you?"

Duo looked distrusting at this Ansinio. There was something about this guy, something that made him stand out yet he just couldn't put his finger on it. The guy made sense but just his niceness was putting up all of his old alarms not to trust him. Solo was a harsh teacher but the streets were even harsher and crueler.

Nice guys were to be avoided because they always had some kind of ulterior motive, one that was always detrimental to you.

But now the guy was giving him a precursor to the "puppy-dog eyes" and Duo knew he was about to lose this battle. God damn it.

"Go ahead," he shrugged. "Just don't try and annoy me."

"Of course," the man chuckled, taking a seat with the table in-between them.

Moments of silence passed between them and for a moment, Duo began to forget that the guy was even there. At least until the guy spoke up again.

"You seem troubled. Want to get it off your chest?" Ansinio asked, staring straight ahead, not looking at him.

"What did I say about annoying me?" Duo growled, eyeing the other with ire.

"Sorry, but it still doesn't change the fact that something's bothering you," Ansinio said. "Talking usually helps to lighten the burden, so I've heard."

"You seem like a nice guy and everything, but I've had a bad history with nice people," Duo told him bluntly.

"Once again, sorry," Ansinio said.

A few more moments passed before Duo cracked. "Alright, if I tell you what's up, you think you could keep it to yourself?" he asked.

"It will not pass my teeth ever again," Ansinio swore, looking him dead in the eye.

"It better not," he said warningly, giving him a threatening look. Sighing, Duo looked straight ahead of himself, regrouping as he tried to find the right words to say what he wanted to say. "Things have been…tense the past few days," he finally said.

"How so?" Ansinio asked.

"The guys I'm staying with, they just want to stay inside all the time," he explained. "They think they'll be putting us in danger if we so much as stick our noses out the door. Then there's one of them who has a thing for me but I don't like him like…well, like that."

"You can only be around the same people for so long before one of you cracks," Ansinio said sagely though Duo rolled his eyes at that, already knowing about that. "As for your friend, there's not much I can say other than telling him what your feelings about him are. Sure telling the truth might not make you many friends but it does say much about a person's character, that they're willing to say what is instead of trying to be elusive."

"You think I don't know that," he snorted. "It's just, well, I don't want to hurt my friend's feelings and he's just been through so much that he's buried his emotions so deep and I don't want to cause him to go back on his progress. I do know that if I say I'm not into him the way he is into me, he's going to go back into himself and all the progress he has made will be worth shit."

"That does sound like a quandary," Ansinio commented. "Though, I don't know if he has focused all of his 'progress' as you call it and if so, then he's already on a course for disaster. No one's world should be solely focused on another's."

Great, something else he already knew. This guy wasn't helping at all. Perhaps he shouldn't mention the addition of the conflict between Heero and Solo…

"Thanks," he grunted, not looking back at the other. "I'll keep that all in mind."

Ansinio paused. "Is there something else on your mind? I can't help but feel there's something else."

What the hell was this guy, a mindreader? Wait, on second thought, especially after all the shit he's been going through recently, he wouldn't be surprised. Still, he wasn't going to give in just like that. That'd be insulting his intelligence.

"What I say about being annoying?" he growled again.

"Excuse me," Ansinio said, holding his hands up in surrender. "I apologize for being so intrusive. It's just in my nature to want to help others."

"And what made you think I needed help?" he asked dryly.

"Well, at first I thought you were a man but now I could safely assume that you are female," Ansinio began to explain. "And, despite the truth and slight sexism of it, women do tend to be more emotive with their emotions."

"Sorry to break it to you pal, but I'm a guy," Duo retorted, giving the other a glare, internally reveling when he saw the look of shock on the other's face. So he was hoping to score, huh? He knew that asshole had some ulterior motive. The nice ones always did.

"Sorr…I mean…it's just…I…" Ansinio stumbled in his words, completely embarrassed at his mistake but Duo wasn't in the mood for apologies.

"Save it," he told him coldly. "I'm outta here. Better be careful since there are 'unsavories' out and about. Be especially careful when looking in a mirror," he added as he got up and stomped away, slightly giddy at his subtle insult yet still peeved by the other's audacity. Who did that asshole think he was thinking he would be easy? Honestly!

Perhaps he should have been more aware of his surroundings as he suddenly found himself practically running over someone who happened to be smaller than him. He very well near lost his footing but thanks to all his balance training, he was able to remain standing up though the person he had just run over didn't fare as well.

"I'm sorry!" he exclaimed as he helped his victim up, brushing off the dirt from the sidewalk that stuck to the other's clothing. "Didn't see you there and…damn it, I am _so_ sorry."

"No harm," his victim said, combing fingers through pale white hair. "It's not the first time this has happened and it won't be the last."

"Wow," Duo said, finally getting a good look at the guy he had just run over. This guy was so pale! Like he had never seen the light of day! Looking for something to lighten the moment, he spoke the first thing that entered his head, "Guess you always know where to clean yourself."

"Hm?" the pale man looked at him, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"You know," Duo blabbed, "white always seems to attract dirt and whatnot…ya know?"

"Oh, I get it," the pale man chuckled. "That's the first time I've heard that one," he said. "Say, haven't I seen you before?"

"Not sure, I'm just one of those people," he shrugged. "Man, if there is anything I could ever do to make this up to you…"

"There's no need, really," the pale man said. "The fact you stopped to help me up is more than enough apology for me. I should have been looking in front of myself instead of staring off into space."

"No, no, I'm the responsible one here," Duo said. "I'm at fault. What's say I treat you to something to eat or something?"

"It's fine," the pale man stated. "Though…you'd be paying, correct?"

"Of course!" Duo replied, almost affronted.

"The name's Pike," the pale man said. "And you are?"

"Just call me Duo," he answered.

"Duo," Pike repeated, drawing out the name as if he was tasting the word itself. "Not a common name, if I do say so myself. So, how would I go about contacting you, Duo?"

A little disturbed by the other's odd action, Duo said, "Perhaps you should give me your number; that way I can call you and ask if you're up to anything." Like hell he'd be giving out his own number…

"Here then," the pale Pike said, producing a card from his back pocket. "All my contact information is on that. Do try and be careful when you call me; I'm here for business and it would be truly embarrassing if you were to call me while I was doing something…important."

"Of course, of course," Duo agreed with him. "I'll see what I can do."

"I'll be waiting," Pike said as he began to go on his way but not before throwing him a strange look. "Oh yes, waiting…"

What started off as a normal seeming guy had suddenly taken a weird turn and now Duo began thinking that this guy was a bit unhinged. He was seriously considering just throwing that little card away and claiming forgetfulness but for some reason, this Pike seemed a bit predatory. Was there a chance that this hadn't been an accident? Wouldn't be the first time a would-be stalker tried to get close to him.

And no, he won't go into _that_ story anytime soon. Trauma and whatnot.

His body shuddering, he began to power walk away, thinking perhaps he should go back to the safe house and see if it was clear…

---

Pike's steel blue eyes never left Duo's form even as the other hurried away. He had to admit, the printed image of the Death Mage didn't do the real deal any justice.

All the while he had been speaking with his target, he had kept his hands out of sight as his fingers twitched spasmodically in desire to immortalize those features in art. Yes, come tomorrow evening, he believed a change in plans was in order.

After all, his employer had waited this long, what was just a little more time but a drop in the bucket? Hmm, marble ought to be the best medium to go about capturing the Death Mage's essence and…

---

"Aw, Kid! Are ya still pissy?" Solo whined from his spot on the bed, Duo's unresponsive back facing him.

It had been a bit of a scare for them to discover that Duo was nowhere in the safe house but both he and Heero and been prohibited from leaving the place. Just as the other three were about to go out and look for Duo, the Kid comes walking in but ignored them all in favor of heading straight for his bedroom.

Both Trowa and Wufei had elected to go over to see if there was anything wrong with him while Quatre remained in front of him and Heero, lecturing them. Most of it passed over his head and he thought that one of the other two had called it the Riot Act but he was more concerned about Duo's quiet behavior.

He had looked spooked when he had come back in and if he had said anything to Trowa and Wufei, those two weren't talking. So, after enduring more "friendly" company, he managed to get away and retreat to the bedroom he shared with Duo only to find the other already changed into some nightwear and under the covers, purposely ignoring him.

At first, he was thinking "well two can play this game" but that was a fleeting thought as it turned out Duo was better at this. In fact, it was only after a few minutes of just laying next to his braided friend, the blond was already dying to use his vocal cords, so he did. Unfortunately, it took two to have a conversation and Duo was not being a good sport about that.

So here he was, whining like a child denied candy and by God he wasn't going to give up until he got what he wanted!

"Duo," he complained. "I said I was sorry! Kid!"

Nothing, not even a peek of a violet eye. Duo hadn't yet fallen asleep but that didn't mean that he wasn't on the verge of doing so. Many a time the other had gone under while listening to his scratchy voice and Solo was slightly afraid that this would be the case once again.

There was no way he wanted this night to end on such a rotten note. He couldn't say the same for Heero but unlike that guy, he was willing to go all out on this.

So when talking and practically acting like a child didn't work, he resorted to one of his trump cards. He snaked his arms around the other and pulled him into an embrace. Duo shrugged in his hold but said not a word, further disappointing the blond.

"C'mon Kid," he breathed into Duo's ear, Duo shuddering as hot breath blew over the flabby piece of skin. "Ain't ya gonna talk ta me? C'mon, say something."

"Solo…" Duo uttered in a sigh. "Just go to fucking sleep already."

"You're mad at me, ain't ya?" Solo ignored that command. "Didn't I say I was sorry?"

Oh great, Duo wasn't speaking with him again. This was just…ugh, so annoying. When did he ever learn how to shut up? Years ago he couldn't stop him from blabbering at the mouth and now he can't get a peep from him. It was maddening!

"Aw, don't be like that," he murmured into Duo's ear, not having a clue as to what affect it was having on the other. He moved closer to Duo, spooning his back and curling his legs around Duo's. "Don't ignore me. It ain't fair."

"Ain't fair how?" Duo finally muttered back, giving in to the blond's insistence.

"You used ta talk all da time and I couldn't ignore you," Solo said. "Now I'm doin' da talkin' and you're ignorin' me."

"Shoe's on the other foot, huh?" Duo mumbled, not turning his head. "Maybe not all da way though…since you're still tryin' ta protect me."

"And you still need it, gettin' in ta all this trouble," Solo replied. "That part of ya hasn't changed a bit." Then he caught a peek of it; the slight curving of Duo's lips. "Well, well, well, comin' out of your shell, eh?"

"You're such a child," Duo shot at him though the blond could hear the amusement in his voice.

"Maybe, but I'm irresistible," he said, getting a small chuckle out of the braided one. "Ah, made ya laugh. I'm off da hook now."

"Not quite," Duo said though he did shift around so that he could better look at him. "But then again, maybe you have changed," he added, looking up from his violet eyes into his green ones.

"Changed?" Solo repeated. "How?"

"You're so much more…cuddlier," Duo began. "And you're more touchy-feely. I don't know, you just seem softer than I last remembered you. At times I think you're just like you were back then but now I sometimes feel as if you're…different. That you're someone else familiar but not the same anymore."

"We all have ta change sometime," Solo told him. "We can't all just stay the same. You've changed too, ya know."

"I know I've changed; I probably wouldn't recognize my old self," Duo said bitterly. "I grew up from a street kid into a trained soldier. Now I work as a cop trying to keep the fucking status quo. I remember a time when I hated the status quo."

"Now where did all this come from?" Solo cut in. "I don't remember askin' for your life story now. Besides, I could care less 'bout what ya did anyways. Things got better; they are gettin' better back on L2. But that's not what you're…mad about, is it?"

"That's something that hasn't changed," Duo muttered. "You can still read me like a fucking book, huh?"

"Half of it's guessing," the blond admitted, tightening his hold on Duo. "Once ya figure out how you think, you become kinda predictable."

"Oh, that makes me feel a whole lot better," Duo muttered. "If OZ had known about that, I'd be dead a long time ago."

"I didn't say that it was easy ta figure you out," Solo pointed out. "Sometimes I don't even know what's going on in that head of yours. You were much easier when we were younger when all we worried 'bout was food, Alliance soldiers, and boredom and it was all in that order. Nowadays, it's your new friends, those Collection guys, and boredom."

"You used boredom twice," Duo said.

"Yeah, 'cause that's never really changed, has it?" the blond challenged. "Those other guys, they want ta keep you locked up all the time and I know that you get antsy if you stay in one place for too long. Ever think 'bout giving them a piece of your mind? Add in the bird somewhere?"

"Now I'm insulted," Duo exclaimed. "You think I haven't already thought of doing that? For shame. I thought about that back in the Caribbean. I'm not as slow as I used to be, ya know."

"I don't know about that," Solo replied, removing an arm only so he could scratch at an itch under his chin. "You may be smarter but that don't mean ya think faster."

"Hey," Duo frowned. "You're not any better! In fact you're more…uh…blonder! You act more like one of those airheaded blondes!"

"Now that's just mean," the blond pouted. "I'm sexier than any of those bitches ever will be."

"That's another thing; you're making a lot of innuendoes," Duo added.

"That's because I have more time ta think 'bout sex and not tryin' ta outrun da Alliance," Solo replied smoothly. "C'mon Kid, ya used to be better!"

"Solo, unless you want to wake up on the roof tomorrow, I suggest you stop," Duo said warningly, turning back into his original position with his back towards the blond. "Insulting my intelligence tends to piss me off."

"Who can't take a joke, now?" Solo challenged, pulling Duo closer so that his head was pillowed by his chest. "Don't tell me those guys are startin' ta rub off you. Who else am I suppose ta have fun with if not you? Aw man, are things going to be boring now? Say it isn't so!"

"You're starting to remind me of me, Solo," Duo commented dryly. "Don't tell me you're going to braid your hair and dye it brown, change your whole wardrobe to black, and go about trying to prank everything that moves. Despite your sudden hyperness, I don't think you'd be able to do that for long."

"Oh, so is that who you pretend to be?" the blond questioned. "Sounds a lot like what the guys told me 'bout you during the war. At least, that's what I managed ta get out of them. You're not fakin' on me now, are ya?" he asked, a little suspicious.

"So suspicious," Duo chuckled. "At least that's something that hasn't changed about you. Never taking anything at face value…"

"And with good reason," Solo snorted. "Nobody's who they say they are. That was one of da first things I ever learned besides when ol' McNathy would turn his back and leave da bread cart open. Sometimes think he did it on purpose 'cause he always did it the same time everyday and wouldn't shout so loudly if he caught us."

"I 'member that," Duo yawned, his mouth opening wide enough that an audible crack was heard and he had to rub his jaw to soothe away the shock. "Think he was senile or something?"

"Nah, he wasn't old enough yet," Solo replied as he pondered over this most taxing of questions. "Least, I don't think he was that old," he amended after some thought. "Still, was a wonder why he didn't go outta business from all the bread we stole from him."

"Whatever, does it really matter now?" Duo asked, voice hoarse as sleep fought to claim his mind. "I'm tired. Let me sleep."

Solo grinned at that. "Well, I can't let that happen without a…"

"Huh?" Duo questioned, frowning as his eyelids drooped heavier and heavier. "Without a what?"

"This," Solo whispered as he leaned close to Duo's cheek and planted a peck of a kiss on the small expanse of skin. If Duo wasn't fully awake before, he was now as his eyes stared right in front of him, wide open as the blond chirped a "good night" and snuggled—er, huddled into his back.

What could he say, he always did like being unpredictable.


	23. An Invitation to Chaos

Author's Note: Today is a special day. Happy Birthday KO, this is my birthday gift to you. A bonus update despite the fact I'm not done with the next chapter but hey, we all need to indulge every once in a while. So, readers, give your thanks to KO for this day and enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

An Invitation to Chaos

The safe house was in an uproar that morning, and no, it wasn't because of anything two L2 natives were responsible for. Those two hadn't gotten out of bed early enough to do anything anyway.

No, what had everyone on high alert was the fact that a note with a dagger pinning it to the kitchen counter was discovered and the fact not one of them heard anything during the night was more than a little discerning.

On the note it read:

_Come to the Piazza de Colosseo_

_at Midnight tonight._

_We know where you are and you cannot_

_hide from us._

There was nothing else, nothing that could be used to identify who put it there. Even the dagger was a dead end as it was discovered that the pommel once had something attached to it, an emblem of sorts that would have told anyone with a knowledgeable eye just who it belonged to. However, that emblem had been removed, leaving only a blank, black space behind that taunted them. Whoever had done this had to be good, real good to be able to plant this without alerting any of them.

"Looks like someone's sent us an invitation," Duo said at last as he stared into the note, trying to pry the secrets of life out of it. "They gave us a time and place and everything except if this is formal or casual dress."

"It's obvious that it's a trap," Wufei stated, arms crossed and looking as stern as ever. "They must think highly of themselves to do something like this so blatantly."

"But why there?" Trowa asked suddenly, looking over Duo's shoulder at the note. "Why in a place so public?"

"Public?" Duo asked, looking up at his taller comrade. "What is this place that's so public, Tro?"

"Everyone knows it as the Coliseum," Trowa answered readily. "Big tourist attraction and all; even you should have heard about it. And the place itself is hardly ambush material; the floor of it eroded away long ago and there's only a maze where the animals were kept to be later used in the Gladiatorial games."

"But hasn't it been under renovations lately?" Quatre piped up, a frown on his face. "If so, then it wouldn't be open to the public."

"But why try to renovate something thousands of years old?" Trowa countered. "It's priceless and no one would do something like that other than put up rails to keep tourists from falling into the maze. There's a bunch of international historical prohibitions on it to prevent renovation from happening, the same prohibitions upheld by ESUN recently."

When no one said anything to that, Wufei turned towards Heero who was typing rapidly at his laptop, trying to find all data that he could about the historic Coliseum. "Found anything yet Yuy?"

"Other than some notices saying that the landmark will be closed for maintenance, nothing," Heero replied, not slowing down in his work for a second. He was back in mission mode and it would take nothing less than a war to knock him out of it. Good luck with that.

"Think you're forgettin' 'bout something?" Solo spoke up from where he leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Magic's involved here; that changes da rules."

"Magic?" Quatre demanded, his eyes suddenly glazing over as he studied their surroundings. "Shit! There's residue everywhere! They could have killed us in our sleep and we couldn't have done anything!"

"Silence spell," Solo asked though he sounded more like he was stating than asking.

"On the person instead of the area, then yes," Quatre reported, his eyes refocusing.

"Then they must think highly of themselves," Duo said, "and if that's the case, I suggest we take the day on the town. Go out and do something."

"Negative," Heero stated, his voice slightly harsh. "It would be unsafe—"

"Like we're any safer here," Duo interrupted, tossing a glare at the Japanese ex-pilot. "They, whoever they are, know we're here and they could have killed us but didn't last night. They're not going to be doing anything until tonight. Way I figure, we're at our safest now than before. They won't do anything, especially after going through all this effort."

"He has a point," Trowa acknowledged.

"Thank you," Duo said.

"Yet we can't be too careful," Trowa continued, ignoring Duo. "I think we should stay here and wait it out. See if they're bluffing."

"Hn," Heero grunted in agreement, not taking his eyes off the computer screen.

Now Duo was starting to a have a problem with this "plan of action." "But could that also be what they'd expect?" he voiced. "It doesn't make sense to stick around in a place that your enemy knows you're at. Basic rule of fighting: if your enemy knows where you are, don't be there. Heck, I don't even know how they found this love shack."

"Take out da 'love' and you got it right," Solo muttered under his breath.

"And where would we go?" Trowa asked. "Who's to say they aren't watching us right now? As much as I agree with your logic, it's better to err on the side of caution."

"You obviously have forgotten the wars," Duo retorted. "If this was OZ that was watching us, we'd all be out of here in less than a minute."

"But OZ didn't have magic to use," Quatre pointed out. "I have barriers and shields already set up to at least protect us from some basic spells. And who's to say they'll wait until midnight Duo? It could also be they're counting on us leaving to move somewhere else. The trap may be to ambush us while we're on the move and not set up at the Coliseum."

"I don't like stickin' around here," Duo stated, staring the others down. "But, if that's what you feel like doin', far be it from me to tell y'all what to do. See ya in a bit."

Like that, Duo blinked out of existence, startling the three pilots who weren't accustomed to magic.

"Where'd he go? What happened?" Wufei demanded as he stood ramrod straight, glaring at the last place where he had seen the braided menace.

Quatre lifted his eyes up towards the ceiling and groaned. "He's cast an illusion on us. Duo, come out. This isn't the time for this."

Off to a side, a door closed shut audibly and the pilots all spun around to glare at it. It was Heero who was first to head to the door and fling it open, the other pilots snapping into action and following after him. Solo remained where he was, still leaning against the wall, watching as the others headed towards the bedrooms and when he judged that they were far enough, he spoke up.

"Ya can come on out, Kid. Make yourself visible or something," he sighed.

A luminescent grin appeared right next to him and the blond rolled his eyes at the antic. In a discerning way, the two rows of teeth parted as Duo said, "Quick, let's get out of here before they figure out I'm not back there."

"Christ," the blond groaned but nonetheless followed after the floating teeth as they led him towards the front door.

---

_The large blond has left the house. Should we tail him or let him go?_ Was the message that Pike received as he listened to the magically transmitted note.

He thought about what to do; should they leave their prey alone and put faith in him to stick around for midnight or should they make sure he remained in the city by keeping an eye on him? Hmm, so many possibilities that could happen and only one of them were desired.

"Tail him," he finally responded. "I want them all to be there for the show and it would be a shame for any of them to miss it."

_Whatever._

Heh, that Felicia was such a hoot. But she was good at all the physical aspects of this where he was more about using his intelligence. That, and he had a bunch of other guys paid to do his bidding as well but interacting with the only female around was always entertaining.

Getting some kind of reaction out of her was like an art of itself, you could say.

---

When it became obvious that Duo had not only tricked them but also left the safe house, Trowa had given up on the matter of sticking around and defected…by stating that he would spend the day with his fiancée just in case things went wrong tonight.

Hannah seemed really amused by all this as was demonstrated with her first words after hearing his tale.

"He gave you the slip again?" she asked him as he was treating her to a coffee at a café near her hotel.

"That's the thing with him," he said. "You can't hold onto him when you want to and you can't get rid of him when you're irritated by him. It's like he's trying to be the living embodiment of the guest who won't leave and the guest who won't stay. Right now it's getting really irritating."

"Well, by what you said, shouldn't he be around now that you are irritated?" Hannah asked him, a smug smile on her face.

God, why couldn't he be annoyed by her? Instead he had the distinct need to smother her with his lips in a mind-blowing kiss. Love, what could he say? It turned the best of them into mindless boobs but it was so worth it.

He shook his head. "You might be right there but knowing Duo, he'd defy that convention just because."

"From what I know of him, that's true," Hannah agreed as she sipped at her coffee. "But why should he color what we do today? You aren't going to ignore me now, are you?" she asked with pouting lips and widening eyes.

Oh, oh, she was pulling the face again, the face that he couldn't resist. Sure he had built up a resistance against other pros like Duo or, surprisingly enough, Quatre, but she always knew how to work it just right.

"Of course I'm not," he assured her, placing a long fingered hand on her smaller one. "Just say what you'd like to do today and we'll do it. Just you and me."

"You're so sweet," Hannah cooed, fluttering her eyelashes.

"So what'll it be?" he asked, smiling softly at her. "Your wish is my command."

"Well, when you put it that way," she said dreamily, peering into his visible emerald eye.

---

Slowly the sun made its trek through the sky, radiating heat and light over the historic city. Citizens and visitors made their ways to and fro throughout the city, be it for business or pleasure, venturing out into an unusually hot day. They braved the heat and relaxed in the cooled buildings of which they took shelter and reprieve in.

Eventually, the sun passed its zenith and crept closer and closer to the western horizon and it was only when the fiery orb touched the land itself did Trowa Barton return to the safehouse where the other three pilots were waiting for him. The tallest of the pilots was a bit pooped from his day out but he was more than used to doing one thing after another.

As the sun was halfway devoured by the horizon, two certain L2 natives snuck in, though it was more like a blond was dragging in a brunet by his shoulder into the building. It certainly looked as if these two had had some fun while the rest had been concerned about one of them and his whereabouts.

As a bit of an appeasement to the others, one Duo Maxwell had brought in some Italian made pizza with him and given a puppy-dog look in hopes of forgiveness. While the pizza did appease their hunger, their mercy was currently unavailable.

Meanwhile, the hands on the clock ticked on, the hour hand moving slowly towards the large twelve that glared out into the room. The inhabitants of the home took note of it and got into a more serious frame of mind as the seconds ticked by. Solo, watching them all, was wowed by how serious the mood had gotten yet how the pilots themselves, including Duo, were still making light banter.

It was as if they expected not to make it or something.

As the appointed hour drew near, the already sullen mood became even more somber as even the chitchat ceased and the five ex-Gundam pilots surprised the L2 blond by pulling out an assortment of weapons out of places he didn't even know about. Hell, there were enough to arm a small military; how the hell did all five of them manage to get that kind of hardware in here without anybody knowing?

Even Duo and Quatre, despite them having the advantage of using magic, were loading up semi-automatic pistols (that was what Duo had whispered to him in an aside) with ammunition, placing several extra clips of bullets on their person in places not even he knew you could put stuff. Suddenly feeling really out of place, the blond snagged a gun for himself even though he had little to no experience using them. Maybe he did it out of conformity or something?

And so there they were, leaving the safe house at a brisk walk and heading towards Rome's famous Coliseum where those Collective guys had called them out to. The blond found much to his ire that Heero was sticking pretty close to Duo and he found he didn't like that for a second. So he moved closer to his smaller, braided friend and tried to project an intimidating aura at his rival.

It didn't work.

If anything, Quatre now was taking up space around Duo as if he had suddenly detected the ill tension that was clouding around the braided one. Trowa and Wufei also noticed this but instead of suffocating Duo's personal space, they rolled their eyes in disdain and remained at their self-appointed position, that is to say one was taking the lead while the other was in the back.

Duo, meanwhile, seemed quite uncomfortable with three guys closed in on him and there were times when it looked like he was about to snap and yell at them but instead just bottled up his frustration and kept quiet.

Peeking at him from the corner of his eye, Solo marveled at what Duo, his Kid, had become. There was a confidence in that swagger that he was using, as if yelling out to the whole world that he was armed, dangerous, and didn't give a fuck about what others thought about it. At the same time, it was also more of a stalkish stroll that made little to no sound yet afforded the other to move as quickly as humanly possible. For some reason, he felt a swell of pride in his throat but he swallowed it as he took note of how dour Duo was becoming.

The cheerful light that he usually showed in his violet eyes was hard and unyielding, the kind of eyes that spoke of committing atrocities and not carrying any remorse about them. It reminded him of what Duo had told him earlier; he was a trained killer and he wouldn't think twice about capping somebody's ass or head.

Kinda scary once you thought about it.

As it neared midnight, the megalith that was the Coliseum reared up before them, radiating an orange hue in the dark night hours. Someone was not only up but in there waiting for them. Would be a shame to disappoint them.

The small lot of them stopped before the structure and the blond released a low whistle. He had always heard about this thing before but had never had a visual of it. It was certainly…big, like someone was trying to overcompensate for something. Too bad Adrian never gave him history lessons or he might know a thing or two about the guy that wanted this thing built. He got a glare from Heero for daring to make any noise but he ignored it; so sue him if he wasn't some kind of professional soldier boy, he was only human.

"So how we gonna do this boys?" Duo piped up, doing the same thing that he had done earlier but not getting glared at by Mr. Serious-All-The-Time. Favorites anyone? "We gonna barrel in, shoot first and ask questions later, or are we gonna sneak in, shoot first and ask questions later? I've no personal preference so you guys make the call."

"Why end each choice with 'shoot first, ask questions later?'" Trowa asked wryly. "Feeling a bit bloodthirsty tonight?"

"Way I figure, these guys are asking for trouble and killing all of them is going to send the higher ups a fucking message," Duo explained. "Do that, they'll be much more careful but they'll be less likely to come after us, right?"

"It's not that simple," Quatre said. "They'll be more careful in the future, yes, but The Collective will not give up on you like that. They've been wanting to get their hands on you for a long time and they're not going to stop so easily."

"Sure, spoil the mood," Duo grumbled. "I was trying to bring a little optimism here."

"And we appreciate you trying," Trowa replied. "But I'd rather not have any illusions going into this and think there might be a chance that we could put an end to this tonight. It's bad enough that we have to kill indiscriminately again; I had hoped that the only killing I would do would be done through the hands of other Preventers or by accident, without the intent to kill."

"Wow, you guys are deadset on being depressed, huh?" Duo said, staring up ahead at the Coliseum.

"No, just realistic," Wufei stated.

"I have to agree with him, you are being depressive," a new voice spoke up and each of the five ex-pilots snapped their heads upward at a figure that leaned against one of the upper columns. Solo felt a bit out of place there for a second and he did his best to glare extra hard at the figure who he was able to identify as a very shapely girl.

He couldn't make out any distinguishing features of lady outside of the shoulder length, highlighted hair, or the brown, leather, sleeveless outfit she was wearing but he could feel the arrogant gaze she was throwing at them and he didn't like it one bit. It reminded him of those smug, rich bastards back on L2 and even as a kid, he wanted to smash their faces in.

He was getting the urge to do such a thing to this girl and he hadn't gotten within five feet of her yet.

"So, who wants to shoot her first?" Duo asked rhetorically. Looks like he wasn't the only one put off.

"How rude," the girl sniffed. "We just met, don't know each other, and you're already planning to kill me?" She tilted her head to a side as if listening to someone and made a face. "Shut up you pale bastard!"

The six of them traded looks with one another. "Another crazy woman?" Wufei scoffed. "How pathetic."

"Shut up!" the girl screeched, this time at them, and snapped her fingers.

They really should've expected it, or at least three of them should've. They were dealing with people who used magic on a regular basis so any trap that was set against them would more than likely have had magic imbued in it.

The concrete around their feet exploded and disintegrated beneath them and due to the suddenness of it, none of them had the chance to jump away as they all fell into darkness.

---

Oh God, wasn't this familiar? Quatre groaned as he came to, his body dully throbbing from the impact of slamming up against millennia old rock and concrete. He had sustained blows like this before, what from fighting in a guerilla type war where he had been thrown against walls from the force of explosions as well as being thrown around in a claustrophobic enclosure that most called a Mobile Suit cockpit, so this was really nothing new that he had to get used to.

What was a bit concerning right now was that he could only see pitch black and he knew that his eyes were open. Hell, it was so dark that he couldn't see his hand waving in front of his face. While his more basic instincts wanted to panic, he kept a tight leash on them, gathering the concentration necessary for a simple spell.

"_Valo_," he commanded into the darkness and was rewarded with a dazzling brilliance of golden light. Well that certainly relieved him of a couple fears; at least he knew he hadn't been blinded or anything. However, it was a bit discerning that he had to issue out the actual name of the spell, something that he was used to doing mute and blindfolded. Maybe he was a bit more disoriented than he thought?

As was second nature by now, he took in his surroundings, finding a large pile up of rubble behind him and two walls to either side of him the stretched out before him. It was against one of these walls that he found Wufei; the Chinese individual crouched beside the obviously manmade structure with a hand pressed against it to balance him while the other hand was covering his eyes, trying to block out the sudden light.

"Damn it Winner, do you mind?" Wufei snapped out him. "You almost blinded me!"

"I didn't know you were there," he sniffed, slightly offended by the other's attitude. Well, that was one down but where were—

"Nnng, did someone get da number off dat truck?" he heard a familiar L2 accent drawl from behind him. Spinning around, he held a gun up and held his orb of light forth to find a black clad Duo laying on a section of the rubble, rubbing his head and sending a big cloud of dust out of his hair and into his face.

"Duo, are you all right?" the blond demanded worriedly as he tried to move closer to the braided one, albeit a bit unsuccessfully seeing as how he was trying to walk on his knees.

"Yeah, yeah, just dim da lights, 'kay?" Duo said back in answer, shading his eyes from the light, the accent in his voice slowly fading away.

"Sorry," Quatre apologized, dimming the orb as he spoke.

"Thanks," Duo said, his voice grave. "Where the hell are we?"

"Don't look at me," Wufei said, finally recovering. "All I remember is the ground giving way and falling."

Quatre groaned. "We're underground. That would be my best bet…but how come I didn't sense that spell? It was right under us yet…" He trailed off as he began to comprehend just what his extra perceptional senses were telling him.

He had neglected what this place was originally used for; people were brought here and killed all for the amusement of a sadistic populace. What did that have to do with not being able to sense a spell? Well, blood carried a lot of magical energies and it didn't matter how much as long as the blood came from a living being, which included animals. Taking into account just how many people and natives of the animal world were slaughtered here…that was a lot of blood and all of it was soaked into the ground.

Now it made perfect sense why this place was chosen; all the magical energies from the blood would mask every basic spell so right now there could be hundreds of spells set to activate around them at a second's notice and they wouldn't know it until it was too late because of all the energies around them.

It was needless to say then that this was bad, very bad. Seeing as how Duo seemed to be a bit oppressed looking meant that he too was feeling all the untapped power here…and since so much death had also occurred and he was the Death Mage, what else was he feeling that not even he, Quatre Winner, with all his empathetic powers could not?

"Where are the others?" Wufei's voice spoke up and now the blond's attention was diverted to something else. Now that he took a headcount, he found there were only three of them here. Trowa, Heero, and Solo were nowhere to be found and telling by how Duo's eyes were widening at this revelation, something had occurred to him that hadn't to the blond.

"We're split up," Duo said aloud, "and if we're divided into two equal groups, you and me in one, and the other three in the other…"

Slowly, it dawned on the blond just what Duo had realized. Oh dear lord…

"May God have mercy on Trowa's soul," Duo said solemnly, not a trace of humor in his voice.


	24. Release the Beasts

Author's Note: Life gets in the way but that's not why you're impatiently waiting, is it? Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

Release the Beasts

Out of all the pilots, Trowa had the most patience, as it was a requirement in his field in order to do what he did best. However, his renowned patience that everyone associated with him was really being put to the test as he found himself in the company of two of the most stubborn people he had ever had the privilege to be trapped with.

He could take falling into a black pit and blacking out for a bit, withstand the flood of light that nearly blinded him once his eyes had adjusted to previous darkness, and he could even ignore the venomous barbs the other two threw at each other.

All of which had slowly shredded his patience to a thread and now here he was watching both Heero and Solo engage in a glaring contest, their egos not settling for anything less than total submission from the other. Stern, Prussian blue eyes pierced into intense green and vice versa and it seemed to be the fact that they had just been not only taken for saps but separated from the others had gone over their heads in favor of establishing dominance.

And for once, he was not going to tolerate it. It was one thing that he babysit these two knowing full well that someone else could pick up the slack but it was another when it was just him and no sign of relief in sight. Sorry, but it was no more mister nice guy.

"Are you two finished?" he snapped at them, diverting their violent energies towards him. When he was absolutely sure that he had their attention, he continued, "Now is not the time for a cockfight."

"I beg ta differ," Solo replied, his eyes snapping back to glare at Heero. "Soldier Boy here has been gettin' on my nerves."

"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?" Heero spat back, his glare intensifying into a patented Yuy Death Glare™. The blond didn't even seem cowed though the ball of light in his hand did flicker for an instant.

Great, he was trapped with too alpha male idiots. If he didn't need that light, he would have left both of them to stay in the darkness forever. Guess he was going to have to disregard his usual beta status and take up the reigns of the alpha.

So while the two were engaged with one another, Trowa simply approached the two, put his hands on the back of each one's head and forced their noggins together into a head butt.

"Fuck!" Solo cried as he clenched his forehead in pain, releasing his ball of light to blink out of existence. "Why'd ya do that?!"

"Bring back the light and we'll talk," Trowa stated, hand fingering his gun. At this point, he was more than willing to commit friendly fire…

Sure enough, a gold-yellow light illuminated their surroundings and the unibanged young man could see the scowl the blond was throwing at him. Having played chess with Duo and been subjected to a similar look before, he could safely say that he was immune to it. He could feel Heero's glare on him as well and he traded the look with indifference.

"Right now I could care less about your differences," he stated. "I'd rather prefer we do something constructive, like finding the others and getting out of here. As much…_fun_ as it is watching you two try and duke it out with your eyes, I'm not in the mood to tolerate both of your childish behaviors so please, act your ages and not your shoe sizes and let's leave this place."

His voice didn't rise once yet it still held all the menace of one. Both Heero and Solo were looking cowed, well as much as either of these two could look at least, and he continued to stare the two down with indifference until he was sure he had exerted his alpha status.

"Now Solo, what can you feel about this place?" he asked. "Quatre once told me that a magic user can sense magic around them. Since, neither you, Quatre, or Duo were able to sense anything, I'm thinking that there's something else going on around here that it is the reason why it was chosen for this 'meeting.'"

Solo stared blankly at him for a second before giving in and saying, "I can't feel shit, man. There's so much…_magic_ 'round here that I can't pick out basic spells. It's like there's so much here, in da ground even, that that's all I can sense."

"Alright," Trowa said, "then we'll have to navigate our way out of here the old fashion way; with our eyes and ears. Heero, you think you can lead and warn us if we run into trouble? You have the best night vision out of all of us."

"Roger," Heero answered, stiffening slightly as his instinct to follow orders took over. Holding up his gun, he crept ahead, staying within the brightened area.

Trowa raised a visible eyebrow at Solo. "I'm picking up the rear," he stated. "Follow behind Heero and make sure you don't leave us in the dark."

Solo snorted. "Yeah, yeah, get off my back," he muttered as he followed after the other.

Making sure the safeties on all his weapons were off, Trowa picked up after the two, not bothering to look behind them yet. The way behind them was blocked off with debris; there was no way anyone was going to sneak up behind them at this point in time.

Or so it seemed. The moment they reached a fork in the hallway, Solo spun around and blasted his ball of light at him, the unibanged ex-pilot ducking under it as it zoomed over his head and struck the chest of a man that had been sneaking up behind them. The darkness hadn't the time to reclaim its dominion as Solo summoned another of those balls of light and Trowa could only stare at the burning corpse of their would-be attacker.

"Teleport spell," Solo sneered at the dead man. "Stupid idiot did it too close ta us. If he'd done it a few feet further, that'd be a different story."

So much for thinking logically; he had neglected to put magic into his mental equations and that mistake could have been a lethal one. Though the dead man didn't look armed, Trowa did at least know better that with magic, you didn't need to be armed.

"Christ I hate this place," Solo muttered under his breath as he ignored the glare Heero was shooting at him. It wouldn't surprise Trowa that the other may have tried to shoot the blond down for a supposed betrayal. And Heero had been especially irritable lately…

"It's fine," he spoke to the Japanese pilot, keeping his voice soft and low yet not quite a whisper. No sense in having their lead man distracted by a personal vendetta in a place like this after all.

Fortunately, Heero didn't seem to be in the mood to disagree so he turned back around and picked the corridor to his left, peering down it and signaling with his free hand that the coast was clear.

As Heero slipped around the corner, Solo followed after, trying to keep their only light from not only lighting their way but to keep it from giving their position away. This time, Trowa kept an eye on their backs as he trailed after.

He wasn't one to make the same mistake twice.

---

"Both parties have entered the labyrinth," Felicia reported, her eyes opening from the trance she had placed herself in.

Pike nodded and asked, "And the Death Mage? Has he been separated from the other two magic users?"

"Let me see," Felicia muttered as she closed her eyes and fell silent. Pike said nothing, his patience phenomenal in this aspect. As the minutes ticked by, he did nothing but stare at her, more interested in the answer to his question than her shapely body. Finally, those eyes opened again, crystal clear. "The smaller blond is with him," she reported.

"Huh," Pike commented. Well, he hadn't wanted that but he wasn't about to make a big deal out of something that happened. He was flexible like that and plus this whole ordeal he was forcing the Death Mage's bodyguards to participate in were works of art in their design. He was always so patient with the creative process and was quite adaptable to things if they happened to go in a different direction than he wanted.

As the great Michelangelo once said of his sculpting craft, he only chiseled out the statue's form that was hidden in the marble, not force his own design into it.

He would do the same thing here only with a slight twist: separate the Death Mage from the others and get him alone.

"Release the chimera," he ordered in his soft, undemanding voice, turning to face a heavily scarred man that had been in his employ for years.

The man grinned devilishly back and nodded.

---

Something didn't feel right.

Besides feeling all the magic in the air, as Quatre said there was, and this oppressive weight that felt like the collective hatred and sorrow of countless souls trapped in this gloomy place, Duo felt a sudden tension as if something had just been released. Thus far they had only come across two wandering would-be attackers who they dealt with fairly easily with well placed gunshots that oddly enough didn't make any loud cracking sounds.

So while it was no surprise that there weren't any sudden strikes from their enemy, it was also a bit discerning how empty this place was. It put him on edge and he felt like this was the calm before the storm.

Seeing how Quatre was also not only incredibly tense but his eyes were darting around in a paranoid fashion, Duo knew he wasn't alone in that sentiment. In fact, the only person who didn't seem remotely affected was, surprise surprise, Wufei.

"What's wrong with you two?" the Chinese native demanded, only taking the time to shoot a glance at them before resuming his vigilance.

"Something doesn't feel right," Quatre managed to say. "I don't know why…but I feel a very intense bloodlust nearby and something tells me that it's not friendly."

"You ain't kiddin'," Duo agreed, his eyes darting from side to side.

"You know where this 'bloodlust' is?" Wufei demanded.

"No, it just suddenly popped up," Quatre told him, a hand pressed on his chest. "But…"

"But what?" Wufei snapped, a bead of sweat trailing down the side of his face.

"It's moving," the blond reported, "and it's…divided? Shit, there's more than one!"

"And it's headed this way!" Duo suddenly exclaimed and spun around to face the passageway behind them. "Holy shit, it's fast!"

No sooner had he finished speaking that a pale creature lunged out of the darkness baring cruel looking teeth and razor-sharp claws. Quatre reacted quickly, dropping his gun immediately and raising a barrier in front of them just as the creature ran into it. It didn't even flinch as it was forced back but then it was on the barrier, clawing at it in an attempt to claw its way through.

"What the fuck is that?!" Duo exclaimed, practically stunned at the sight of the creature.

Though it was standing on its hind legs currently, it was obvious that this thing was a four-legged beast. It was completely white, gleaming like soft marble as its body moved with ease. It had an ugly mug for a face, all wrinkled yet ferocious at the same time, acid-tainted saliva dripping from its short snout to eat away on the floor and its eyes were small and beady, radiating a bright crimson glow. A large mane encircled its thick, corded neck, looking like it was carved out of rock and its short, stubby wings flopped from side to side comically its claw studded paws tried to pierce Quatre's defense.

"A chimera!" Quatre said in awe.

"What's that?" Wufei asked warily, his eyes trained on the chimera.

"It's a construct," the blond explained, "a magical construct given physical form and bound to the lifeforce of its creator. Whoever made this has got to be a powerful magic user; I mean look at the detail on it! Someone loves this being and took care in making it."

"Guess we're going to have to make someone cry, don't we?" Duo asked rhetorically.

"Indeed," Wufei agreed as he raised his gun and fired a shot straight into the chimera's head. However, the bullet immediately ricocheted off the beast's head, bounced off the wall, and shot back towards, Quatre, scraping him on the side of his forehead. Surprised, Quatre dropped his shield and the chimera roared forth, tackling the first person it could.

That person just happened to be Duo.

"Shit!" Duo swore and he fell onto his back, hands shooting out to grab the chimera by its muzzle and hold it back. He shifted his head to a side to avoid the dripping acidic drool that seeped from that foul-smelling mouth, the muscles in his arms straining as he tried to hold the creature back.

Wufei swore under his breath as he fired a couple more shots at the chimera, stopping only when he realized that the creature was unaffected by the bullets. Tucking his gun away, he charged at the chimera, utilizing his martial arts training to land a swift yet hard kick into the chimera's face. You could tell from the grimace of pain in the man's face that that hadn't been a bright idea but Duo was in no position to determine as he continued trying to push the chimera off and not succeeding at it.

Christ, what were those spells again? Turning invisible wasn't what he was looking for yet that was the only one that was coming to mind at the moment. Gritting his teeth, he got his feet placed on the chimera's stomach and with all the strength in his legs; he tried to shove the beast off him.

By now, Quatre was back in action and was forming one of those balls of light. The blond didn't look like he was holding back and he showed it as he flung the orb at the chimera, the orb succeeding where he and Wufei had failed. The orb struck the chimera in the face and it howled in pain, Duo taking the opportunity to put more power into his legs and shove it off him, scrambling away once he was free.

The chimera shook its body as it recovered, letting loose a roar as it charged again back at Duo. By now, Duo was in the calm state of mind to be able to summon up a shield, stopping the creature in its tracks again.

"Quatre! How do you beat this thing?!" Duo roared as he poured more power into the only thing between him and the pale monster. "Crap! It's getting through!" he yelled as he noticed the acidic saliva touch his shield and start to eat into the magical barrier.

The chimera growled eagerly, its claws moving towards the weakening area to tear into it.

"Duck!" Quatre howled at him and acting on the command, the braided one let himself drop to the ground just as a searing, continuous bolt of magic shot overhead and straight into the chimera. The creature shrieked, its cry almost unnatural, but Quatre didn't relent as he only upped the power he blasted at it.

Slowly, the pale whiteness of the creature blackened and began to smoke until it finally collapsed, whimpering before falling still. As soon as that happened, Quatre cut off the bolt of magic he had been firing and panted as he eyed the blackened lump warily. He wasn't the only one as Duo still had his barrier up, not wanting to let it down just in case the thing was playing possum.

"I hadn't…wanted to do that so soon," Quatre gasped out.

Duo glanced back at him. "Sounds like you used quite a bit there."

"More than I should have," the blond admitted. "Usually, chimeras fall apart when hit with enough magic. This one was too finely made; it's even intact still."

"You think there might be more around here?" Duo asked, his eyes darting around, peering into the shadows around them.

"Oh God I hope not," Quatre exclaimed.

"Then we should get moving," Wufei cut in. "The longer we stand in one place, the more likely another one is going to find us."

"Amen to that," Duo agreed. "Sooner we find a way out of here, the better."

---

The thing had struck at them without much warning but much to Solo's surprise, Heero was somehow handling it, riding on top of the thing's back with his arm wrapped around the thick neck, trying to suffocate it.

They had learned early on that it was immune to bullets so it looked like it would be left up to the L2 native to handle it except that the thing had struck at him first and knocked out his light. At the moment, his night vision was shit as his eyes hadn't adjusted enough to the darkness but then to add insult to injury, it was Heero who tackled the thing off him.

And now here he was pressed up against a wall with another orb lit up, Trowa keeping his distance away from the savage thing while the thing itself was bucking wildly, trying to throw Heero off of it. Much to his chagrin, Solo was frustrated at how useless he was feeling at the moment, holding up a lousy light while smudging away some of the acidic spit that had scraped against his cheek during the beginning of the struggle.

But boy was he pissed. Now his good looks were ruined. Sure he would be able to fix it up later but the fact that it had happened in the first place; oh it was so on right now. He sent a mental command to the surrounding shadows and grinned wickedly as the dark tentacles shot out and wrapped around the thing, holding it immobile as it struggled.

"Shit!" he heard Trowa shout from behind and he spun his head around to see a second one coming at them from down the corridor. This wasn't good.

Glaring at the incoming beast, the blond scowled and twisted his waist, swinging an arm at the creature, the shadows acting on his physical command and hurling its snarling prisoner at its companion. There was a loud grating sound as the two beasts slammed into one another, two howls of pain echoing out while Solo weaved his hands and fingers together, ordering the shadows to envelop the creatures in a tight hold.

Solo applied pressure with his hands, not letting up as the two pale beasts howled until there was a loud cracking sound, the howls stopping immediately. Solo held his hands together for a minute longer, just to be sure, before releasing his mindless captives, only a pile of pale dust remaining where the shadows had been.

"What were those things?" Trowa demanded, his eyes planted on the pile of dust.

"No idea," the blond admitted, "but there was some magic in 'em. It's gone now, though."

"Can you sense if there's anymore?" Heero stated more than asked though one could tell he wasn't pleased in having to defer to the blond on the matter.

"Can't feel a fuckin' thing unless they close," Solo grunted. "There's so much magic 'round that I can't sense much that ain't ten feet away from me. Fuckin' sucks."

"That's a big help," Heero sneered.

"Oh? You were doin' so well earlier," Solo spat back. "Maybe I oughta just sit on my ass da next time we meet those things again."

"Which is sooner rather than later," Trowa commented dryly as he motioned ahead to another of the pale beasts that was growling down at them.

---

Another chimera was added to the junk heap, as the other group of pilots was moving steadily through the labyrinth. Thus far they had only come across a pair of them but the drain on their magic was slowly starting to tell. Duo almost cursed his sudden lack of skills as the best he had done so far was raised up a couple of barriers so that Quatre could power up and attack to take the chimeras down.

Wufei, meanwhile, was keeping an eye on their back, making sure nothing snuck up behind them. It was really strange that they hadn't run into anybody else since the chimeras had first started showing up but the braided one didn't think he should mull over that fact too much.

Fighting for survival was doing a good job of diverting his thoughts at that point.

Stopping to take a quick break, Duo extinguished his light, just not up to keeping it lit. At this point, only Quatre's remained but it was nearly as luminescent as it was when they first started this maze. Now that kinda made him feel a bit useless; Quatre was able to outlast him in endurance, something that the blond hadn't been able to do before in all their time of knowing one another.

For some reason, it felt like his manly pride was taking a direct hit for that…

From what he could see of Wufei, though, the Chinese ex-pilot was looking a bit disgruntled. Then again, now that he was able to think about it, Wufei hadn't really been able to contribute much to this trek once the chimeras started appearing. It suddenly made him feel bad about feeling useless; at least he had access to some magic. Wufei was virtually defenseless here and that in and of itself must have been pissing him off.

Maybe if they had thought to bring a flashlight with them…nah, Wufei would probably be more offended by doing such a menial chore. Really, it was sometimes really hard to please the guys that he called friends. Speaking of friends, how were the other three doing? They had yet to meet up with them but he hoped that at least having Solo with them would be able to at least provide Heero and Trowa with _some_ protection.

"Ready guys?" Quatre said, a breathless quality to his voice.

"Yeah, damn I feel like an old man," Duo groaned as he stood up, his joints audibly popping.

"It's your first time using magic in a real combat situation," the blond said. "It's going to feel more energy zapping now but once you've built up some stores and can better use your powers, you should have some more stamina."

"Can we get going?" Wufei demanded stiffly, slightly confirming Duo's theory of being pissed off. "I don't like staying put in one stop while those things are still out there…"

"Know what you mean," Duo agreed as he muttered a quick _Valo_. As soon as his orb appeared, he paused as he felt something. It was barely on the surface of his consciousness but it was there, some kind of presence; it wasn't moving and it didn't feel threatening…

"Hey Quat, ya feel that?" he asked aloud, Quatre pausing himself and tilting his head to a side.

"Must be Solo," the blond reported. "We must be close to them or his using a lot of power right now. Can't get a good reading, though, damn blood magic."

"Fucking figures," Duo grumbled, a little put off. Knowing their luck, Solo was probably casting some big spell or something and not perhaps ten feet away like he hoped. Oh, if only life could give him that one thing. Fucking life…

They began walking again, always staring straight ahead or checking behind them in case something was sneaking up. However, if there were anymore chimera about, they didn't seem to be attracted to them so they continued unmolested. Finally, after wandering some they came upon a set of stairs that led straight up. Quatre raised his eye at this while all three of them took note at how well the stairs were crafted.

They looked new, too new what with them being carved out of marble. Plus they reeked with magic, not the blood kind but a cleaner type. Someone had made these and they had a good idea as to just who it was.

"Think someone wants us to use them?" Duo spoke aloud what they were all thinking.

"Most definitely," Wufei agreed, as he loaded up his gun. "Would be a shame to disappoint, now wouldn't it?"

"Brother, you're speaking my language," the braided one shot the Chinese man a grin.

"Better be careful," Quatre said. "It could be a trap."

"True but it's either we spring it, if it is a trap, or spend some more time with our mouthy friends back there," Duo pointed out.

In silent consensus, all three agreed that they'd rather risk it and as one they took a step forward.


	25. Dancing in the Moondust

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language, violence, death

Dancing in the Moondust

Solo may not have been the brightest of people but he was street smart and it was only now that he figured it all out. These things, whatever they were, were coming in droves at them and they hadn't really done that until after he began throwing his magic about.

They were surrounded on both sides and the way he saw it, Trowa and Heero weren't really being helpful. It wasn't like they were doing it on purpose, it was just these things were too tough on their own and the stuff that the two had brought along with them weren't having much effect—

There was a boom and the paw of one of these things landed right next to him. Okay, somebody had brought a grenade. Wished he had been warned about that first but okay.

He was tackled to a side as Trowa shoved them both against a fall just in time to dodge a creature that had gotten too close and had leapt at them.

"Damn it," the blond swore. "Do these things not know when ta give up?"

"I don't think so but you think you can take them all out yet?" Trowa replied to his rhetorical question.

"Not without a lot of fuckin' power," he muttered under his breath. "Eh, why da hell not?"

Pushing Trowa away from him, he gathered as much of his magic as he possibly could, cancelling out all other spells he had active at the moment. This, however, had the effect of blanketing everything into darkness which produced many ominous growls from the creatures. Or at least, they were growls before they suddenly became frightened yowls.

And in the darkness, Solo's lips twisted into a bloodthirsty smirk.

---

The trio paused on the stairs as wolf howls reached their ears. It didn't sound anything like triumph but none of them were going to be heading back to check it out anytime soon. That and the stairs seemed to be disappearing behind them into darkness. It was almost unnatural and despite their bravery, or stupidity, in the past, none had the will to head backwards.

Survival instincts were a powerful thing, you know.

There was something in the air, or so Duo felt, and it made all the nerves in his body tingle, the hairs on his neck and arms stand on end, and all his muscles tense. It was anticipation, like there was something big at the end of this upward path just waiting for them.

And then they reached the end and it was…disappointing.

They came out of it only to meet the sight of an empty, flat arena that had a silvery glow to it all. Yes, the sky was amazingly clear for a city sky, the stars twinkling in the dark expanse and silver moondust littered the ground, a beautiful sight to be sure but it was just so…not what he was expecting.

Beautiful, breathtaking, but totally uncalled for. Yeah, that was the way to describe it.

"Wrong…" Quatre murmured. "This is wrong. There shouldn't be anything here…"

"Typical," a soft voice from above scorned. "Because reality doesn't bend to your rules, your will, it's wrong? I thought that at least you of all people would enjoy something as perfect as this. I suppose I was wrong."

The three of them spun around, eyes darting to and fro, searching for the source of the bodiless voice. Despite their sharp eyes, none of them were able to locate it, something that seemed to amuse the voice as was evident when it spoke again.

"You really are simple creatures, aren't you? No beauty in your souls to appreciate all this."

"I think you threatening and trying to kill us kinda makes that moot," Duo spoke up defiantly, fists clenching tightly.

The voice paused at that, as if considering his words. "I shouldn't have expected less out of the one who is Death's chosen," the voice said. "No, you are beyond our petty mortal doings. However, your two companions are not so advantaged."

"You're the one that sent those chimera, aren't you?" Wufei suddenly shouted out. "You would stoop to using lowly beasts to do your dirty work than to face us yourself. And you dare to lecture us?!"

Perhaps that hadn't been a good idea as the voice suddenly thundered at them with a vengeance.

"LOWLY BEASTS?! You dare to associate such works of art with those derogatory words you uncivilized SAVAGE?! You lack the appreciation of such works, the blood and sweat that went into them and do not think I do not know what you did to my beloved creations!"

"As my friend just said, I think you trying to kill us makes that a moot point," Quatre stated, a spell already forming in his hands. "And when has art ever killed?"

"You would be surprise," the voice chuckled ominously. "This very building in which we stand in is a work of art. The various buildings you see throughout the world are works of art and living beings have died creating them as well as when they fall."

"Are you talking about architecture?" Quatre asked, eyes narrowing.

"Why am I surprised you don't get it?"

"Hey! Back on track here!" Duo shouted out, taking a step forward. "You wanted us here and now you have us here. What is it that you want?!"

The scraping of boots against the sandy ground attracted their attention and they noticed that two men had appeared behind them to block off the path that led to the stairs. There was something that wasn't right about them but the braided one couldn't pick it out quite yet. Maybe it was the lifelessness that was in their eyes or how indescribably pale these men were but something was screaming at his instincts that something was wrong about them.

His attention, though, was then diverted to a sudden shaking of the ground and a large mound of the silvery dirt rising up to the sky. Sprouting out of it, a large rounded block of pure white marble rose up to the sky, ever widening as its base emerged out of the dust. Once the column ceased growing, a figure was spotted standing at the base of the marble structure.

The ever-present pale light that seemed to lighten up the arena glared off of gleaming armor that looked as if it had been carved out of marble itself, black marble intertwined with the white in imperfect patterns all over the body. This smooth yet earthen armor made the figure look bigger than the small size he probably was in reality, what with the spines that seemed to be sticking out on various points from his shoulders to his back then to his waist and kneecaps.

But it was the uncovered head that really caught the braided one's attention and he almost jumped back at it as recognition dawned on him.

The spiky white hair that defied gravity, the too-awfully pale, white skin, and those eyes that were so blue that they were practically steel. Hey, was that actually…that guy, the one he practically ran over just the night before? What was his name…Pick? Pal? Pike? Perhaps he hadn't said sorry enough or something…or this guy wasn't some innocent bystander with a grudge…but another member of The Collective…?

A member who undoubtedly would have had the opportunity to follow him back to the safe house last night…

Damn it, how could he have been stupid enough to not make sure he wasn't being followed? Basic tenet in his pilot and terrorism training: never let the enemy find out where you're hiding. Oh, G had to be rolling in his non-existent grave on this one.

Pike took a few steps away from his marble monument, his smooth, marble armor not hindering his movements whatsoever as they slid back and forth along his body. He stopped when he was perhaps only a stone's throw away from the three ex-pilots and Duo was now surer that this was the same guy from last night. Not that prick who tried to flirt with him but the second one.

"Allow me to introduce myself," the pale man said, bowing elegantly towards them. "I am Pike Verso, artist, art admirer, and professional hunter. I have come for you, Death Mage, on behalf of my employer who so desperately wishes to meet you."

"And I bet that employer is a member of The Collective," Quatre spat.

"He is but I'm not," Pike replied, not put off by the blond's tone.

Wufei, frowning at this, spoke up before the other two could. "If you're not one of The Collective, then why are you involved with this? What is your stake?"

"Money," Pike answered without missing a beat. "It takes money to craft works of art, even in this day and age. I could care less what my employer wants with the Death Mage but it would be a crime not to at least immortalize the visage of Death's chosen, especially with such a beautiful specimen such as you."

Duo found himself taking a step away from Pike. Okay, like that suddenly didn't make this a creepy moment.

"If you surrender yourself into my custody, I can guarantee that no harm will come to your friends, any of them," Pike continued, his steel blue eyes boring into Duo with unnatural interest. "It's as simple as that."

A bolt of continuous magic slammed into the hunter, sending him flying back. Flipping in the air, Pike landed catlike on the ground, particles of dust rising from his landing. However, it wasn't from Duo that this attack came from but from Quatre who was glaring at the armored man.

"I'm afraid he's going to have to decline your offer," the blond snarled. "None of us are going to let you get your hands on Duo."

"Well, I tried doing this the easy way," Pike shrugged before his facial features darkened. "I guess I am going to have the opportunity to avenge my precious chimeras after all."

In a quick motion, Wufei unsheathed a long, curved sword from somewhere on his person and spun around to halt the advance of the woman in brown leather from earlier. Duo copied this action as well but only drew out a gun and aimed it at an incredibly ugly and scarred man who was giving all of them the evil eye.

From the ground itself, pale arms and hands sprouted and all sorts of henchmen emerged from hiding, staring all of them down with lifeless looks. The three of them were surrounded but none of them were put off by the odds they faced.

It was Duo who seemed to shatter the would-be stare off with his words, "Looks like it's ass-kicking time."

---

Wufei was the first to strike out towards the enemy, slashing his sword out in a practiced move as he charged towards the only leather clad female in the arena. In a quick move, the female pulled out a sword of her own, one of European make to be exact, and blocked his attack immediately; the two forced into a stalemate right off the bat.

But Wufei called upon years of training in the arts of the swordsman and with a burst of strength shoved the woman away. The woman stumbled back but caught her balance quickly enough, just in time to block another strike from Wufei.

Backing away in a leap, he spun in a circle and sliced off the head of one of the pale henchman, not pausing to get a good look at his kill as he easily parried an attempted attack from the woman. With lightning quick reflexes, he kicked her in her gut and let her stumble back, not going after her in preference to stabbing the heart out of another henchman who had tried to sneak up on him from behind.

He paid the crumbling man no mind as he began circling his opponent, sneering at her. "Don't you think you're in over your head?"

The woman frowned. "What's that suppose to mean?" she spat.

He didn't bother to give her an answer as he charged at her again, slashing his sword at her, fully expecting her to block it and when his expectation was met, he was already twisting his body and moving his sword to slice at her undefended back. However, the woman dropped to the ground and rolled away, scrambling back up to her feet and eyeing him warily. But he wasn't about to give her any breathing room; that was just not his method of fighting.

He was in her face, striking and slashing without pausing, barely smirking as he managed to get a cut on her left lower arm. She hissed in pain but kept her sword steady as she tried to turn the tables and go on the offensive.

To be brutally honest, he decided to let her do so if only to see how good she really was for a moment but he could see that her technique was sloppy and she was wielding her weapon more like a club. It was embarrassing to watch but he shouldn't have expected so much from a woman.

As she was slashing at him, her sword arcing downward in the hopes of meeting his head, he merely sidestepped the attack and thrust his sword so that it was next to the pommel of the broadsword. With the flick of his wrist and the spinning of his sword blade, he broke her grip on her weapon, sending it flipping up into the air. With a graceful leap, he caught it in midair and flipped so that he landed on the ground, crouching like a tiger.

He spun around, a sword in each hand and feinted jabs at her to get her to back off, not moving from the spot he had landed, a smirk gracing his face.

"Pathetic," he proclaimed. "I expected more from you than amateur hour."

"Bastard," the woman hissed at him but he was not intimidated by such a weakling. There were only two women he was afraid of; neither of them was here at the moment and she wasn't one of them.

Standing straighter, he balanced the broadsword for a moment before suddenly tossing it over to her, her confused look priceless.

"Come at me," he dared her. "I expect a good fight and I won't accept anything less."

The woman growled at him and let out a bloody shrieked as she charged.

---

It was Quatre who picked out Pike Verso as his target. Since he was more experienced with magic, it was obvious that he was the only one here that was capable to take on another student of the mystic arts. Just by looking at what Pike had done to this ancient structure, he knew the other wasn't a pushover. He'd let Duo and Wufei handle the entourage; he'd take on the head of this snake and put an end to this battle.

As Wufei and Duo began their assaults on Pike's help, he threw his arms up and flexed them back into a maneuver that would have even the most dedicated yoga instructor wince. His hands wrapped around well-worn handles and with a practiced elegance he pulled out two curved swords that had an impeccable resemblance to the ones his precious Sandrock wielded. However, the metal for these weapons were made of solid gold, thus allowing him to fuse into them and boost his magical powers exponentially.

How he got either of them passed security at the airports was a Winner Family Secret.

He lunged at Pike, not giving the other the opportunity to use any spells he may have at his command, his curved scimitars igniting with golden, flaming magic. Pike raised the armguards he had on his lower arms and used them as small shields to block each and every strike the blond threw at him. It didn't take long for Quatre to figure out this tactic and the strategist in him offered up a whole array of potential attacks he could do.

Picking one without necessary thought, he pulled back and crossed his curved swords in front of each other, pulling them apart in diagonal slashes and shooting out a blast of gold-colored magic that took the shape of an "X."

The attack was enough to knock Pike off his feet and Quatre increased the flow of his magic into the swords as he went in for another strike. Pike, though, was already retaliating as he blasted a shimmering, white orb of magic at him. The blond reversed his hold on one of his swords and used the weapon to slash the orb in half, bringing his other sword up to block a large spike of marble that shot out of the dusty ground.

He was pushed back and slightly jarred but no worse for wear as he murmured a teleportation spell to himself and warped up to Pike's face to dodge any other potential attacks that could be thrown at him. Pike was ready for him, however, and he spun his body like a top, forcing Quatre to pull back and defend himself from the spines that stuck out from the marble white armor.

Throughout the fight, Pike had remained expressionless, not giving away any clue as to what emotion he could be feeling and that slightly unnerved the blond who was so used to the explosive affects of his friends and brothers-in-arms. His empathy, which he used to at least read what his enemies were feeling, allowing him to have a more accurate guess of what they would do, was suddenly a bit of a liability as he was finding himself distracted by the blankness and dispassionate façade Pike was displaying.

It was proving to be a greater distraction as he was caught off guard when Pike was suddenly in his face.

---

It seemed like he always got the short end of the stick, Duo grumbled to himself. Not only did he have to face off against one really ugly guy, but also all those minions of Pike's were coming after him as well in one, nonsexual gangbang.

In short, it sucked.

It also sucked that he wasn't as skilled with magic as Solo or Quatre were. The best he was able to do on short notice at this time was put up a barrier behind him so that no one snuck up on him. Pulling out two hunting knives from each of his boots, he fell into the stance that Trowa had taught to him back during the wars when he had professed an interest in knife fighting to the other pilot.

The ugly, scarred man held back as the other nameless henchman had a go at him. He ducked under a lunge and flipped the first man over his back, gripping one of his knives tightly and plunging it into the guy's throat as he lay on the ground. Instantly he was spinning on his feet, as another charged at him and he used the guy's momentum to his advantage to throw him at one of his buddies.

Raising a knife up, he slashed one guy who got too close and slit open his neck but what was surprising was that there was no blood coming from the wound. He raised an eyebrow at that but summoned up a few illusions, all copies of himself, to distract his opponents, making himself invisible at the same time.

As his illusions made pests of their selves, he crouched close to the ground, watching all the pale men scrambling around like chickens with their heads cut off and running into one another. Suddenly, a whip cracked and swiped through one of his illusions, causing it to dissipate immediately.

His eyes shot over to the scarred man who wielded said whip and was looking a bit disgusted at the scene before him. He made a gesture with a hand and—what the hell, was that another Goddamn chimera?!

Indeed, there was one creeping out from behind the man but the creature was not distracted by all the illusions out on the field of battle but directly at him…and shit. The chimera charged at him, growling gutturally, and leapt up into the air in order to pounce on him. Duo let himself roll onto his back and he kicked his legs up, catching the beast on his underbelly and let his legs drop in before he extended them back up, throwing the creature over him and into one of Pike's pale men.

Seeing the man shatter into pieces like a table dish shocked Duo long enough that he lost his concentration and dropped his illusion of invisibility over himself. A big mistake that was since a certain whip was suddenly wrapping around his neck and he was pulled backwards onto his ass and dragged through the glimmering dirt.

"Got'cha, ya fuckin' varmit," the ugly man howled in delight. "Good job Betsy!"

Duo gritted his teeth as he tried to provide some relief from the pressure being exerted on his neck. He kept an eye on the salivating chimera he presumed to be "Betsy" as it slowly made its way towards him, disregarding the man that it had shattered from earlier. Not only was Betsy creeping towards him but also the rest of the remaining henchmen.

The next thing he knew he was surrounded and suddenly getting his ass handed to him as all those henchman began to beat on him, the scarred man's voice rooting them on. Fuck, this was just like whenever he got captured by OZ during the wars. Where the hell was his shield again? It couldn't have been broken already but then again those feet were very, very real.

_Problem?_ A deep voice reverberated in his head, surprising him so much that he didn't feel a couple of the blows landed on him. _Why am I not surprised?_

"I don't hear you suggesting anything," Duo gritted his teeth together.

_Shouldn't it be obvious?_ Death replied. _Dig deep into yourself and use the power that I have bestowed upon you. It shouldn't be too hard. Here, I'll even get you started._

And with that, he suddenly felt his whole body become enflamed with burning power, all of it just dying to be used at his command. He no longer felt the multitudes of blows hitting him and on instinct, he let the power out.

The dark purple energies erupted from every pore on his body and reduced all the pale men to dust in an instant, all the magical energies imbued into them released and dissipated. He slowly got up to his feet and he looked down in awe at his hands, the skin still attached to his bones and everything. He barely heard the growl due to the power that was buzzing in his ears but he easily stopped the chimera that leapt at him in its tracks with one hand placed firmly on its forehead.

The chimera groaned and shattered into pieces so small that it was nothing but a cloud of dust. He stared impassively at the mound of dust that blended in with the silvery ground, ignoring the wail of despair from the scarred man he was fighting.

Twisting his waist, he caught the end of the cracking whip and held on tight, the power rushing throughout his body giving him a boost of strength. The scarred man pulled and exerted himself, trying to pull his whip back but Duo had other ideas about that. Through the whip, he shot a small burst of his magic that traveled all the way to the scarred man and hit him off his feet.

Forming a ball of pure death magic in one hand, he paused then blasted a wave of the magic straight into the scarred man, obliterating him in an instant.

---

The sudden explosion of power stopped both Pike and his blond adversary in their tracks as they watched the Death Mage in action as he terminated his force of statue men. He felt a surge of fury nearly floor him as his works of art were decimated but that was soon overcome as he saw the Death Mage stand up.

The beauty, the potential in immortalizing that figure overcame his fury and he forgot all about why he was here. His priorities to capture the Death Mage for The Collective had switched to his all consuming passion for creating art.

He didn't pay any attention to the death of one of his associates, preferring to marvel at this specimen. He needed to face that power; triumph over the man-turned-god but there was an obstacle that happened to lay in his way.

And like that, his blond opponent reappeared into his vision and he narrowed his eyes. He was going to have dispatch this savage first before he could deal with the Mage…very well then.

He held an arm out to a side and cast a spell straight into the moondust at their feet. From the ground, a pike sprang into existence, pure white with a black tipped, one sided blade at the end with a sharp, black marble spike on the top of it. Gripping his hand on the long, thin shaft, he pulled the pike out of the ground and spun it once before swinging it forth to strike his opponent.

The blond, though, was skilled, and had brought his scimitars up to block his strike, spinning around to face him once more. But Pike only gave his enemy a smirk and he spun his weapon, pulling one of the blond's scimitars out of his hands. Reversing his pike, he jabbed the blunt end of it into the blond's gut and his smirk widened as he froze, a bright whiteness spreading from where he was struck until he was completely consumed.

Oh how he loved turning living things into works of art…

In essence, it was a binding spell but it was one that he customized to fit his repertoire. Instead of being held still by magic, the inflicted was covered in a shell of magic that took the form of the pure white rock that was his favorite material to sculpt.

Turning his attention away from his latest work, he focused his gaze on the sight of the Death Mage, his grip tightening on his pike's shaft in anticipation.

However, before he could do anything to try and get his latest muse's attention, the ground shuddered and a distance away exploded, writhing shadows snaking out of the resulting hole like serpents. Parting, the shadows revealed a tall, blond figure who looked quite at home within the swarm and two other brunets leapt out of them, guns drawn and trained on anything that moved.

"Looks like we're late ta da party," the blond said, eyes narrowed and sharp, his tone nonchalant.

And Pike growled. Interlopers. Well, he'd just have to deal with them first…


	26. Duo vs Pike

Author's Note: Been having a bit of writer's block and lack of motivation recently. Though, are you glad KO and I have several chapters already written out before hand in case something like this should happen? Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language, violence, death

Duo vs. Pike

Okay, this place looked fancy-schmancy what with looking all glowy and silver but Solo was not impressed by it. The air seemed to hum, though, and if he paid it any mind, he could feel every particle of magic energy in the air vibrating. There must be something here that was exciting it, something that was augmenting it perhaps? There didn't seem to be much gold around here so he had to assume that it was silver then but yet that didn't seem to be it.

Now, he would be able to concentrate on it more if only his gut instincts weren't screaming at him for some reason—oh wait, maybe there was a good reason for that.

He let himself fall to the dusty ground as the blunt end of some kind of bladed pole thrust just where his chest used to be and he rolled away, scrambling back to his feet and watched the weird pale guy with the weird white armor warily.

Trowa and Heero were firing their guns but the bullets bounced harmlessly off the guy and those that went for his head were blocked by the bladed staff. The guy suddenly crouched down, and launched himself in Trowa's direction, slashing the bladed end of his weapon and scraping Trowa's chest just barely.

However, that seemed to be all that was needed.

As Trowa backed from the guy as fast as he could, he hadn't noticed the whiteness that was spreading from where the guy's blade had cut through his clothes and bulletproof vest, said clothes and vest turning white as well. By the time any of them caught onto it, it was too late for Trowa as most of him was white and still as a statue, the rest of him following until he literally was a statue.

"One down," the weird armor guy said as he spun around to attack them.

---

It had been some time since Wufei had found himself bored in a fight but for the one he was engaged in currently, boring fit the description of it to a tee. He had, by now, broken the woman's sword and thus forcing her to resort to hand-to-hand combat.

Refusing to dishonor himself, he put his katana to a side and used only his hands and feet to fight back but not even that was able to get his blood pumping. He should have gone for one of the other two; it would seem those two would have provided a more challenging experience than this.

"What's the matter?" he taunted to the panting woman. "Can't you even put some effort into this?"

"Fuck you prick!" the woman spat at him, spittle dripping from a bloody mouth.

He rolled his eyes at that. Did she really think she could handle the big boys? She was more talk than she was action and while she had carried herself as a skilled fighter, the reality had been that most of it was arrogance. She wasn't able to back up her claim and now she was paying for it.

Of course, in any other situation, he just would've knocked her out and gone on his way. But this wasn't any other situation, it was this one and she was part of an enigmatic organization, or working with it, and he couldn't afford to let her live long enough to report any of this. When it came right down to it, he had to kill her. This was a war in which one side wanted complete domination, or so he was able to surmise. No mercy would be granted to them thus he would not grant mercy.

He gave her a "come hither" gesture, more than ready to put an end to such a disappointing spar and get on with helping his comrades. Play time was over.

He let her come at him in her amateurish style, only shifting to a side as her wild kick breezed past him. With the palm and fingers of one hand flat, he smashed it into the side of her face, not letting up as he wrapped his other arm around her leg and twisted it, causing her to practically flip and land ungracefully on her stomach.

Backing away, he tapped his foot, expressing that he was waiting for her to get back up, which she gradually did. She was glaring at him in pure hatred but he was unfazed by it as he gestured with his fingers to come at him again.

That was when she revealed that she had pilfered his katana off his person and he more than frowned at that. How dishonorable of her to do that; she was going to need to learn her place right now, and that was far below him.

As she charged at him, wielding his precious sword like it was a club, he merely rolled his eyes, dodged the slash easily and kneed her in the stomach. With one hand he disarmed her and spun away from her, slicing his sword horizontally. Taking another step back, he watched impassively as she stood there, her eyes wide before the top half of her body slid off her lower half.

Wiping his sword and not paying the disappointing female any further mind, he turned around as he was preparing to sheathe his sword only to watch as the leader of this band of foes, Pike Verso, was striking out at a newly appeared Yuy. Yuy threw himself to a side and rolled along the ground, not stopping once as he continued firing off his gun at the armored man.

He tightened his grip on his katana before rushing over to where his brother-in-arms needed him. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to reach Yuy in time as he was struck on the side of his face by the broadside of the enemy's pike. He skidded to a halt, blinking in surprise as part of Yuy had turned completely white though he was still able to move a majority of his body.

Verso, though, seemed to know exactly what he was doing as he spun around with graceful ease, Heero's movements hampered by part of him becoming frozen by the whiteness and causing his shots to miss Verso. This time when Verso struck, it was with the bladed end of his pike and to Wufei's revulsion, blood did not spew out but whiteness instead flowed to cover the rest of his Japanese comrade.

He couldn't take it; he could only see red as he roared out a battle cry and launched himself at Verso, completely ignoring a call for him to stop.

---

"Fuck! China guy, stop!" Solo yelled futilely. It took him a second to realize that he had raised an arm up like a lovesick girl yelling for her one true love to come back and he scowled at it. Fuck, despite that guy looking like he could barely move, he was so incredibly fast that he had been right in front of Heero before he had noticed that Trowa was out of commission.

Then again, he wasn't like these guys, not used to fighting in these life or death things. The only fight he ever had was the fight for survival on the streets. Well, guess he was going to have to butt in whether Wufei liked it or not.

Summoning shadows, he ordered them to attack the weird armor guy. Swarming across the distance between them, Solo was confident in his shadows but that came to a halt when not only did the armor guy spy them out, he slashed his weapon out at them, surprisingly causing them to pause.

Wufei took the advantage of sticking the guy down but the guy shifted his body so that one of the spikes sticking out of his armor caught the curved sword. The armor guy then spun, swinging his bladed weapon and cutting Wufei on the leg. Like Trowa and Heero before him, there was a whiteness expanding around Wufei's leg yet the Chinaman wasn't slowed down by this, amazingly.

While only his leg remained encased in the white stuff, he was adjusting himself onto the offensive once more and was moving it with his body, kicking the frozen leg out to stall the armor guy and give him the chance to cut at him with his sword. Strands of hair fell to the ground and the armor guy glared at Wufei as a noticeable cut began to bleed on his right cheek.

That's when Solo struck again with his shadows, his manipulations reaching and wrapping around the enemy's legs and holding him in one place. The guy jerked his body, expecting to move and shocked to find out he couldn't, also giving Wufei another chance to attack.

But the armor guy managed to jerk his weapon up so that Wufei's sword clashed against the long shaft. But then, the guy twirled his weapon and forced Wufei's sword out of his grasp, acting immediately and jabbing the blunt end of the bladed staff into Wufei's throat.

Wufei grabbed hold of his neck, clutching at the part of his body that was in agony and giving him trouble breathing. That was the position he would soon be frozen in, to Solo's horror, as the rest of his body became completely white. Then, with the blunt end of the bladed staff, the guy slammed it down onto the ground where it struck the shadows that had surrounded him and caused them to part, almost like they had been punished like a dog.

The guy then whipped his pale head around to bore his steel blue eyes right into the longhaired blond who found himself taking a step back involuntarily. He berated himself for doing such a thing and began to surround himself with shadows, preparing himself to take on this latest adversary. He couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive about it, though; this would be the first time he face down someone who really knew what they were doing. Wolf and that Bryce guy didn't have half the skill as this one did but he was more than determined to take him down.

"Leave him alone!" another voice bellowed, one that was immersed with power and commanded obedience. In fact, even he was startled by the commanding tone even though he recognized who it came from.

There stood Duo, magical power whipping all around him wildly yet completely subservient to the one who summoned it. Solo had to admit that it was awe-inspiring but it also seemed that he wasn't the only one marveling at this. The armor guy had directed his attention towards Duo and the blond was prepared to take advantage of any opportunity presented to him.

It was the street way after all.

Not wanting to hold back and possibly give this weirdo a chance to do him in, he softly voiced out the command of a spell, putting all his energy and focus into it and summoning a hoard of shadows that rose out from all around him and lunged at the armor guy.

However, the armor guy must have felt the surge in power or he had really good ears but regardless, he knew he was about to get hit from behind. He raised his weapon up and the blade shot out a pure white light that had his shadows shrieking in agony. He had to cover his ears with his hands; the shrieks were hurting his head that much.

It was only pure instinct that saved him as he jerked his arm up in time to partially stop the armor guy's blade from cutting him and getting a nick for his trouble. He gritted his teeth as he felt the blade dig into his skin and he shoved himself back as he began to feel the limb become numb. Looking down at it, he saw his hand become completely engulfed in whiteness but he felt the magic that was a part of it and realized just what it was.

It was a binding spell and thankfully Adrian had taught him how to defend against them. With a blocking thought, he stopped the spell in its tracks but his hand felt like it weighed like lead as it remained a white colored fist. He jerked to a side just as the butt end of the weapon jabbed at him and he swung his frozen fist, striking the weirdo in the cheek and causing him to stumble back.

Hey, maybe there was something useful about this.

"STOP!" he heard Duo bellow but the pale weirdo was ignoring him, swiping at the blond and nicking him on a leg and his other arm. It took him a bit to block the spells but by then the damage had been done; at least half of him was bound in this white stuff and he couldn't figure out how to dispel it completely.

There was suddenly a surge of magic and the armor guy was forced away from him as Duo stepped towards them, his eyes a pure violet that was glowing ominously.

Yet, Solo felt that he couldn't have been safer at that moment.

---

Morrigu's lips curved as he observed the happenings at the Coliseum. He had been watching this whole time and by now, he had to admit that he had underestimated their opposition by a bit. But Pike looked like he had things under control, especially when he began binding those morons who claimed to be the Death Mage's guard.

Yet he was still wary of having someone like Pike involved in this operation. Despite his obvious skill and reliability in the past, there were still times when that reliability became questionable. Especially when his inner artist's interest was perked. Already, he could see it happening; in fact, the efficiency in which he had dealt with those boys was solid proof of it.

Well, he'll just have to either intervene at the last second…or let Pike suffer for his shortcomings. He hadn't decided which since both were appealing. Ooh this was so exciting.

And now the Death Mage was about to enter combat with the mercenary. He licked his lips in anticipation completely heedless of the activity occurring far beneath his own feet.

---

If there was one thing that Duo hated being, it was late. There was no doubt that he was a bit late on coming to his friends' aid and for that he knew he could beat himself over about it later.

Right now he had some pale ass to kick.

The power of Death that flowed through his veins was invigorating and addicting and he felt that the whole world was on fire. He could do anything at this point and that included beating up the guy who turned his friends to stone. Quatre, Trowa, Heero, Wufei, and now Solo; he was almost out of friends and he would be damned if he gave up any more.

Pike was staring at him with appraising eyes, though, and not the terror that he was looking for. That served to piss him off more as he glared the pale man down, slowly setting himself between Pike and the half frozen Solo.

"You having fun?" he spat out.

"Would you believe that I'm a lover, not a fighter?" Pike said in answer. "All this fighting, it really isn't my forte."

"You could have surprised me," he retorted, not toning down the amount of venom in his voice.

"I don't want to fight you, Duo," Pike said. "It would be a travesty if something had to happen to that elegance of yours."

"Enough talk," he snapped as held out a hand and focused his power into it. Sure, he may not be as good at it as Quatre and Solo were but he had a lot to work with right now and he had surprisingly excelled at focusing his magic into one spot.

Gripping his hand as if he was holding something, two strands of purple-colored magic shot out from opposite sides of his fisted hand, forming a staff of sorts. At one end, the magic grew an appendage, slowly making the magical construct he held resemble a scythe. Yeah, it wasn't completely like the one his Deathscythe had wielded but it would do for now.

Pike raised an eyebrow at him. "I suppose that it would be pointless to try and convince you not to go through with this."

In response, Duo gave him what the others had once called a "Shinigami smirk." Tensing his legs, he launched himself at Pike, his scythe held at ready as he quickly closed the distance between them. Pike shrugged and readied himself, the blade on his pike beginning to flash its previous white light.

The two weapons, one solid and the other massless, clashed and in an instant, the white light flickered before going out like a light bulb. Both Pike's eyes and Duo's smirk widened at this, both of their arms straining as they each fought against the force the other was exerting.

Pike winced at the coldness he felt from the magical energy Duo was emitting and he shoved Duo back, prepared to twirl his pike and cut the Death Mage only to come up short as Duo's scythe intercepted easily.

Duo pushed himself away and spun around, slashing with his scythe and slicing a cut right into Pike's armor, causing the other to fumble backwards in surprise. Twirling his scythe in imitation of his precious Gundam, Duo gripped the unsubstantiated weapon tightly and made three consecutive slashes, two of which Pike managed to block and the other one he flat out dodged.

Huh, wasn't like those Mobile Suits in the past that always fell from one attack from his scythe. Well, he could work with that. Once again in imitation of Deathscythe, he flung his left arm straight ahead of him, balled his hand into a fist of magical energy congregated on his lower arm before firing out like a spinning missile. He didn't know how he had been able to do that since he uttered no name of a spell or even thought of one.

Because of the speed of the magical blast, Pike wasn't able to dodge it and was barely able to get his pike up in time to protect before he was flung away by the following explosion. He did, though, stay up on his feet and while his pike remained whole despite blackened burned marks, the armor that had once covered his chest had been completely shattered, his thin chest now vulnerable to attack.

With a quick gesture, he summoned up more of his statue minions and ordered them to stall for time while he fortified his armor.

Duo narrowed his eyes at this and with a lazy motion, threw himself to a side where he beheaded one statue man with a slice of his scythe. It was almost as if he had become Deathscythe himself with the way he easily destroyed these mindless (literally) goons. Then again, that could be all that power that was flowing through him talking.

Pike though had paused as he watched him destroy each statue and the guy was getting angrier with each one that was destroyed, so much so that he had neglected to fix his armor back up.

"How could you?" the pale man hissed, his obsession rearing its head again. "Death Mage or not, you don't destroy such beauty. You just don't!"

"Then why don't you face me instead of using your little dummies here?" he shot back cockily.

Pike only roared in response as his body was encased in swirling, white magical power. His grip on his pike tightened and he teleported himself so that he was right in front of the Death Mage, swinging his weapon downwards in an arc. Duo blocked him easily, eyes widening slightly from the force behind the blocked blow. They remained in that position for a minute, Pike trying to force the bladed end of his pike down while Duo pressed upwards with his intangible scythe.

Leaning slightly, the braided one slide to a side and broke the stalemate but Pike was twisting his waist and nearly slamming the butt end of his pike into his chest. Duo swore as he back up and then dodged to a side as Pike jabbed the spike that rested on top of his pike.

Much to his surprise, Duo found that he was actually enjoying this bout and that may have been because for once he felt that entity known as Death getting interested in it. Both mortal and immortal minds were infusing with one another and the braided one's skill with the scythe increased exponentially yet unnoticeably. He was moving yet scythe less and using his bodily energies less as well all the while blocking and catching every single blow and attack Pike threw at him, exercising all of his own impressive skill.

Adrenaline was pumping throughout his system and while he knew this was suppose to be a dire situation, Duo found that he couldn't help but enjoy this. Then again, that could be Death's influence on his mind but he couldn't be too sure about that. Never before had he ever associated fighting with pleasure but then most fighting he took place in usually had someone dying.

So much for never again, eh?

"Why" BAM "won't" WHAM "you" BAM "give" BAM "up?!" Pike roared at him, punctuating each word with a downward strike of his pike, Duo's scythe blocking each and every time.

"Oh? Is that what you want?" Duo grinned back at him malevolently before turning the tables on the pale man.

Twisting to a side as Pike's weapon came down again only to slam into the dusty ground much to the pale man's surprise. Holding his scythe just so, Duo jabbed the top of the immaterial weapon into the solid pike, causing Pike to lift it up involuntarily. Spinning his scythe in a vertical circle, Duo slashed his weapon downward and cut off the top portion of Pike's pike, the bladed and spiked end falling to the ground with an eerily loud clang.

Pike blinked at the jagged end of his pike but also noticed that Duo was wide open, taking the opportunity presented to him and jabbing said jagged end into the braided one's torso. Snarling a "_Sido!_" and watching with glee as Duo froze instantly into a marble statue, his scythe blinking out of existence immediately.

He had done it. He had captured the Death Mage.

---

Solo had observed the fight in awe and plain old wonder. He had known that the Kid had changed so much over the years but seeing just how quick he was, how skilled even, was something else. He supposed that Duo was unconsciously melding his magical skills with that of his physical and the combination of the two was the sight of all this.

Despite it all, he was rooting for his friend as he continued to try and figure out a way to also dispel the binding spell that was holding not only him but everyone else. He had spotted Quatre's frozen self during the fight but had looked away in preference of watching something straight out of an action movie.

Hell, there wasn't even any choreographing for this either.

But then it all came crashing down when Pike got the sudden upper hand and got Duo into the same binding spell he got everyone else into. Pike was leaning on his broken stick, panting visibly before letting out a near hysterical laugh.

"I caught the Death Mage," he managed to choke out. "He's so much more beautiful like this than I ever imagined," he added as soon as he got control over himself. "It would be such a shame that he has to be released from it eventually…but who says it has to be soon…?"

Okay, this guy, Pike, was certifiably out of his mind. Crazy. Yet that did nothing to help him pound this guy's ass into the ground. Then those blue eyes looked over at him.

"This was all worth it," the pale guy told him. "All this preparation, the loss of some of my associates, everything. And I was able to really test out my combat skills for once. I must really thank you all for this experience. Hell, getting my hands on all this moondust was worth it."

Solo looked at him strangely. "Moondust?" he repeated. Was this guy nuts? Moondust, a product of magic that only slightly augmented one's power. It was practically useless and it took a massive amount in order for any magic user to be able to get any effect from it.

"What do you think this all is?" Pike gestured to the ground around them. "For you and me, it does practically nothing but for someone of the Death Mage's caliber…"

Solo felt a knot in his stomach. He didn't know if this was a good thing or a bad thing. "What?" he croaked out.

"Supposedly, moondust is very effective at increasing death magic," Pike explained. "The mistake most make is trying to force ordinary magic into it only to get barely little out of it. The Death Mage, though, ought to not only be in his element here but also augmented to the point that he's practically a god."

Solo then gave him a look. "Are you crazy or completely stupid?" he deadpanned.

"I wanted to see his power," Pike shrugged. "What better way to do that than to surround him with something of his element? Believe you and me, I was not disappointed."

Solo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but do ya think your little spell is going ta be able ta hold him?"

"You underestimate my power, savage," Pike retorted. "It took me years to perfect and customize that binding spell. It's now the strongest of its kind; even a high ranking member of The Collective wouldn't be able to escape or break it."

"How 'bout overpowerin' it?" the blond asked dryly.

"Impossible," Pike scoffed.

Looking over Pike's shoulder, he said, "I don't know 'bout that."

Looking at him questionably, Pike looked where he was looking and his eyes widened. "Impossible!" he gasped.

The statue that was Duo had cracks all over it, ominous violet light pouring out from each one. Pike had barely finished speaking when the Duo statue exploded with raw power.

In its place stood the transformed Duo, skull and all, living braid hissing straight at Pike as if it wanted to tear him apart. That might as well be close to the truth. There was actually fear on Pike's face as he backed away.

"No," he said to himself. "It's impossible!"

The skull grinned, bones clinking together and making the blond wince. "Pathetic mortal, do you really believe your powers are capable of holding _me_ down? And especially in a battlefield such as this?"

Oh great, Solo rolled his eyes. Death was in control again.

"Pike Verso, you have pushed your luck too far," Death hissed out. "It's time to end your game…for good."

Raising a hand casually, a great violet ball of pure death energy gathered, shooting out immediately in Pike's general direction.

"NO!" Pike cried out as he hefted his pike up, filling it up with as much magic as he could, and throwing it like a javelin straight into Death's attack. The two slammed into one another and the result was an enormous explosion that blew Pike out of sight, what with the white light that was shining out from the epicenter.

However, the effects of the explosion didn't end there; the illusions that covered the entire Coliseum wavered and shattered, the veneer peeling off readily which also included the dusty ground on which they all stood upon.

"SHIT!" Solo cried out as he, Death, and everyone else frozen fell into the Coliseum's catacombs, vanishing into the darkness.

He could only hope that none of them shattered against the sudden stop at the end…

---

Some time had passed before Morrigu dared to enter the Coliseum. He was pissed though because as soon as the white, shiny veneer was torn off, he had been about to leap off from his perch to enter and perhaps collect his gorgeous looking Death Mage when he was suddenly caught off guard by a quick sleeping spell.

He didn't know who did it and was unprepared for it thus his temper was currently short as he entered the catacombs, searching for any sign of his precious prize. Magic still flooded the area but he paid no heed to it as he searched, ultimately finding only the unconscious body of Pike Verso and hardly anything else.

The Death Mage was gone.

He couldn't believe it. After all this, the Death Mage was once again out of his grasp but this time, he knew that it hadn't been any of the Winners or that private guard that the Death Mage had. No, it had been someone else who had come in and he hadn't a clue as to who it was.

Picking up what was left of Pike, he could only hope that this would appease Janus for now.


	27. Underfoot in Friendly Territory

Author's Note: And the block continues. Still have those chapters written out ahead of time; aren't you glad for that now? Now for some of those answers you've been waiting for since the last chapter. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

Underfoot in Friendly Territory

His body felt sore as he came to and Solo groaned as he cracked open his eyes to the familiar sight of the living room in the safehouse. Wait…since when did they get back here?

The soreness and stiffness in his body diverted his attention temporarily and he rolled onto his back so that he could stare up at the popcorn textured ceiling for a bit before forcing his mind back on track.

The last thing he recalled was falling down into a pit…no more like the floor dissolved and he and the others fell back into a maze. But…hadn't he been partially bound…? And what about the others?!

Glancing around quickly, he caught sight of the stirring bodies of the others, each of them thankfully their own colors and not that pasty white that Pike's spell had forced them to become. He relaxed slightly before frowning and taking a quick headcount.

One of them was missing.

Duo was missing.

He sat upright and stifled a moan of agony as the stiffness in his body hadn't gone away completely and he frantically looked around for any sign of his old friend. He hoped that perhaps Duo had woken up earlier and was in another room. He hoped that he was being hidden from sight by the couch or something. His heart was pounding in his chest as it became more and more clear that Duo wasn't here.

Forcing himself onto his feet, he began staggering about, searching every nook and cranny he could find, extending his senses in a search for any kind of spell that might be active. It took him a lot of time due to his body's exhaustion but by the time he had covered everything, the others were conscious once again as he came to a very frightful conclusion.

Duo, without a fucking doubt, was missing.

His breathing increased to the point he was almost hyperventilating and he had collapsed back into one of the couch's cushions, holding his head in his hands as it felt like his whole world was spinning.

Quatre caught on to his mood pretty quick (probably that damn empathy) and he too soon found out what he had just figured out. But it didn't matter that the others seemed to also be getting a little panicky despite their calm. To Solo, only one thing was on his mind.

His oldest friend, the one he had spent so much time searching for since his teacher had been murdered, was gone and this time there wasn't one fucking clue as to where he was.

Beneath his chest, his heart pounded in an agony that was not physical but more on a different level that he couldn't comprehend.

Morrigu had scoured the entire Coliseum three times by now with no luck whatsoever. The Death Mage and his entourage were gone and the only thing left was the mercenary that they had hired to capture him.

So it was with disgruntlement that he contacted Janus via video phone with the potentially disastrous news. He didn't want to do this, not right now when he hadn't so much as licked the Death Mage, but he wasn't in charge here and he knew he wasn't smart enough to figure out what had happened other than somebody else had entered the fray and succeeded where they had failed.

Hmm, maybe he could get some taunting in, though? Pissing off Janus was still one of his favorite activities, no matter the situation.

"_Well?_" Xavien's voice demanded from the intercom, the small picture of the man glaring out towards the vampiric man. "_What is it?_"

"I come baring your trash," he replied lightly as he hefted up the unconscious body of Pike by the back of his shirt before dropping him back down like a ragdoll. "So much for hiring a specialist, right?" he added, sneering.

Xavien glared back at him and if it had been possible to send magic via telephone connection, the vampiric man would have been nothing but a pile of ash. "_He failed?_" the man grounded out.

"Not only that, he completely lost any trace we had of the Death Mage," Morrigu said cheekily. "So now we're not even at Square One, we're at Square Negative Two."

"_What do you mean you've lost all trace of that streetrat?!_" Xavien snarled. "_Weren't you suppose to be there?!_"

"Yes but I wasn't suppose to interfere, now was I?" Morrigu countered. "I was supposed to let Verso do all the work and not get in his way. Your orders, if I remember correctly."

"_Don't you fucking patronize me,_" Xavien snapped. "_This is starting to get out of hand. We're halfway to the deadline I set and the higher seats are starting to poke their noses in my business. And now you mean to tell me that all the work accomplished thus far has been for nothing!_"

"Perhaps if you let me go after the Death Mage from the start, we'd have him already," Morrigu growled back. "I am tired of waiting when I could have had him and claimed him."

"_I don't want him spoiled so soon,_" Xavien barked back, "_though I should probably amend that. The rat is from L2 and the odds are great that he has already been spoiled_."

"And so what's your problem with me?" Morrigu argued. "One look and he'd have been in the palm of my hands. And since when have I ever failed before?! I succeeded with taking out Branwen two years ago so enthralling the Death Mage would have been a cinch!"

"_Taking out Adrian Branwen had been a priority two years ago but that is completely meaningless now,_" Xavien retorted. "_No, I'm not going to have any more delays or setbacks. I'm coming to Rome once I make a few calls and I am not leaving until I have the Death Mage in_ my_ possession. No excuses!_"

With that, the small screen went black, leaving Morrigu to stand in front of the device dumbly as he slowly began to comprehend what was happening. He could feel it; the chance to woo the Death Mage into his bed was crumbling and seeping through his fingers like sand.

And he lost it.

His rage wasn't violent like _somebody's_ was but the display of power was awesome to behold. The very air around him shimmered as if there was too much heat and transparent wisps of magical energy began to peel the carpet and even the painting from the very walls as he seethed. His eyes had become completely black but he was careful not to look into any mirrors.

That would have been the last thing he needed.

But he wasn't giving up yet, no, far from it. Janus may be stealing his chance but once he had the Death Mage, it wouldn't matter whether the other wanted him or not. The sweet heat and the body that he so wanted to tear pleasure from would be his and he would be damned if such a thing was stolen from him!

No, let Janus have his petty plans and ambitions, he had something else in mind but he'd remained quiet for now until the opportunity he needed presented itself. No more mister nice guy, indeed. No more playing Janus' little power game, it was his turn now to have what was rightfully his.

Looking down at Pike's unconscious body, a thought occurred to him.

Maybe there was a way to kill some time right here…

He didn't really feel anything as he came to, but Duo knew better than to move excessively when regaining consciousness. He didn't open his eyes in preference of using all his other senses, including his newly acquired magic sense in order to determine if he was in any danger be it real or only potential.

His hearing is what he focused on first but he barely heard anything so he could at least say that he was more than likely alone. Still, he wasn't going to risk it quite yet and open his eyes. He couldn't afford to show his hand so soon.

Next was feeling and there he had some feedback. He was laying on something; it wasn't hard but it wasn't very soft, just about in the "just right" category. He was either on a mat or a cot but since he didn't feel anything physically restraining him, it didn't matter which one it was.

Taste and smell were really helping him to determine that he was somewhere that was a bit dank but also clean. That left only the search for any kind of spells that may be around. There he also got another hit; there was something in the air but he couldn't figure out what it was as it was just there but doing absolutely nothing.

Okay, so he was somewhere he didn't know where, unrestrained, and more than likely alone and not in any real danger right now. Guess he could crack open his eyes a little and give a look over where he was and make sure that his assumptions were correct.

Opening his eyes so that it would still look like he was unconscious, he scanned his surroundings quickly and shut his eyelids tightly again. From what he had been able to gather, he was in a cell-like room made up of large stones with only an overhead light fixture dully lighting up the room. But there was no one in there so he was alone after all.

Opening his eyes up fully, he took a better look at the room, taking in more details than before and storing them up for later use in case he needed them. Though small, the room was actually larger than it let on as there was a washbasin and an armoire in one corner as well as a couple of cloth chairs one would use on a camping trip because they were too lazy to either sit on the ground or a log.

While the room gave off the impression that it was grimy, it was anything but, as if someone came in here every day to clean it up. What once had been a simple issue in the braided one's mind was slowly ballooning up into a full fledge mystery of which he had no clues or any idea as to where to begin.

He had just sat up straight on what turned out to be a cot when a door that had so subtly blended in with the walls opened up and there was no time for him to fall back and play possum. However, it was just who was on the other side of the door that caused his heart to practically stop.

"I see that you're awake," the deep yet feminine voice of the one and only Director Une greeted him.

He could only stare at her, flabbergasted. What—how—when—

"Speechless?" Une asked teasingly, taking a seat close to him. It was only now that he took a good look at her and noticed the strange change of wardrobe. If he had been told that one day he would have seen Une dressed in a plain, old, brown robe mainly associated with old friars and priests who had taken vows of silence, he would have told them to go to the nearest doctor and get their heads checked out.

Reality, though, was quite the bitch.

Finally, he was able to scourge up enough wits to get out, "What are you doing here?"

"It's a long story," she said dryly, "and I don't think you'd be able to sit still long enough to hear it all. So, all you need to know is that you're in safe hands now."

Duo narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "How do I know you're telling the truth?" he challenged. "I got a bunch of people after me who could be anyone and I suddenly find myself in a place like this and I'm not suppose to question anything? Forgive me for not giving you sight of my ass so you can screw it over."

"I wouldn't have expected anything else," Une chuckled, something that seemed a bit uncharacteristic for the usually stern woman who's only break from character had been perhaps two weeks ago when she had confided in him that she approved of his apprehension of the late William Bryce. "I'd be the same in this situation if I were you."

"So let me guess, here's where you try and convince me that I'm in friendly hands?" Duo asked skeptically. "Let me tell you, you've got your work cut out for you, sister."

"It all depends on your definition of 'convince,'" Une replied smoothly. Unexpectedly, she asked, "Would you like to take a walk with me?"

Duo blinked at that, stumped. Okay, how was he supposed to respond to that? Immediately his mind presented him with dozens of reasons why he should accept as it would give him a clue as to where he was as well as possible ways he could escape. Pragmatic, a bit cold and deceiving, yes, but this was realistic as well. It's not that he didn't trust Une, he hadn't trusted her ever, especially after their encounters during the wars and don't you think a few months working under her would change that.

When you were with someone who at one time tried to capture you and did, you tend to always be a bit wary of them, even when everything was said and done.

So, his answer was a quick, "Sure."

He was rewarded with a small smile that marginally made him relax but outside of that, he was still quite wary. However, the following succession of events that followed, though, really put that to the test, starting with Une casually walking to the door and opening it without there being so much as the sound of the door unlocking.

On a short, closer inspection, he noticed that there wasn't even a lock on the door. Either Une was with someone who was dirt poor, not concerned with him attempting escape, or completely confident that he couldn't get away if he tried.

It really went the way of making him anxious.

The lockless door led straight into a hallway that carried the same dirtied look of the room he had been in but here he was slightly surprised how filled with people the corridor was. It wasn't like it was filled to the brim with people but it was how people were just strolling down it with ease and not a single guard in sight.

Everyone was dressed in the same brown robes that Une was wearing, much to his further surprise, and he had the impression he was surrounded by nerds and geeks for some reason despite most of these men and woman having no sign of acne or pallid skin. In fact, these same people who looked so youthful would always incline their heads when they came near and it took him a few seconds to realize that they were informally bowing.

But the sign of respect wasn't towards Une; it was all solely directed towards him. He would have expected to hear whispers occurring behind him but even those were absent; these people weren't gossiping behind his back at all!

What was all this?

It was such a compelling question that he had to ask it out loud.

"The world of magic is not just confined to a small group of people, Duo," Une answered him simply. It took him a moment to actually grasp the concept of what that meant but then it hit him. But how could that be? He hadn't known anything about this magic stuff until about two weeks ago…when all this shit started happening to him… And that didn't explain how Une knew anything about it!

She must have picked up on his inner turmoil because she continued speaking without further prompting. "You don't need to be able to use magic in order to know about it. People have known magic exists for thousands of years; the only thing that has changed is that fewer and fewer people choose to acknowledge or accept it."

All the while she continued leading him down the hallway, coming only to a stop abruptly and when the hallway had noticeably and unexpectedly widened. He soon found out the reason for that as they stopped and he could only gape at what could have been thousands of years old structures form in what could only be called a city, a dark but visible ceiling high overhead.

"What the hell is all this?" he gasped out, awed.

"This, Duo, is the underground portion of Rome," Une explained with no little hint of pride. "It has been long abandoned but not by us, those who dwell here. Over the course of history, the Italian Peninsula has been afflicted by volcanic and seismic activity, not even Rome itself was immune to it. During the time of the Roman Empire, various portions of the city sank and were left for newer parts, the sunken sections forgotten and buried under the pretense of 'progress.' It's a wonder than any parts of Old Rome are still above ground and if you don't believe me about the seismic activity, may I remind you of Pompeii?"

Duo had mainly let the lecture go in one ear and out the other, not really paying attention to it really, but he had caught the "us" that his female superior had said. "Us?" he asked, looking up at her and raising an eyebrow in inquiry.

"Not much gets past you, good," Une commented before giving him his answer. "By us, I mean the group of people down here. I guess in a loose sense, you can call it a cult."

"Oh great, the head of the Preventers is part of a cult? Please don't go along with them if they try to pull a Jim Jones and drink poisoned Kool-aid," Duo said a bit melodramatically.

"Funny you should mention that," Une said. "The members of this 'cult' are followers of the Death Mage."

Duo blinked at that and slowly paled. "Wait, what?!"

"The Collective and the Winner Family are not the only ones involved in this," Une stated. "This group, who like to call themselves Death's Hand, have been around a long time. Like the Winner Family, we seek to protect the Death Mage, you in this case, from those who would try to take advantage of your powers, namely The Collective. At one point in time, Death's Hand and the Winners were united but some millennia ago, the Winners broke off due to a dispute. You see, the Winners wanted to be in charge and well, the head of the order didn't appreciate that."

"You mean to tell me Quatre knew about you guys?"

"Most likely not. When the Winners cut all ties, they went to the extreme, not even letting their offspring know about them. However, when they left, they took with them the only means there was to locate the Death Mage. Since then, the Death's Hand has been stumbling blind, trying to find Death's chosen. Fortunately, we were finally able to catch up to you before it became too late."

"You don't mean to tell me you've been a part of this since the beginning?" Duo asked, raising another eyebrow.

"Actually, I'm a more recent member," Une admitted. "But that is too long of a story to tell right now, especially since there are some people who really want to meet you."

"Alright, I'll let you off the hook this time," Duo told her, aware that they had begun moving again, heading towards some unknown destination. "But don't think I won't bug ya until I know what you're hiding. I do know some psychological torture methods."

"Really?" Une asked, surprised. "I wished you told me about that a while ago, we could have used you to interview some suspects back at headquarters."

"That's Preventers' HQ, not this cult thing, right?"

"Correct."

"Huh, I'm really starting to get the hang of all this."

Throughout all this, they continuously passed by more and more robed people, all of whom bowed their heads towards him but didn't whisper anything behind his back. It was a bit discerning a few minutes ago and then accepted but now it was getting plain as creepy. He wasn't liking it anymore and he was almost hoping that someone would at least be starting a rumor or something.

It was almost unnatural how quiet this whole place was…

Une ultimately led him towards what looked like an old, crumbling Roman bathhouse and it was in here that he found the place was miraculously cleaned and not sporting that grimy and dirty look the rest of the place did. Then again, he could sense some residue of magic on these walls so that might explain why it looked so cleaned.

Then again, the Ancient Romans were the first to develop and use concrete and just used thin slabs of marble veneer to cover it all. That might explain why this place looked so dirty when it wasn't.

The two of them entered into a large atrium that bore a resemblance to Grand Central Station in New York and was more than likely inspired by something like this. Damn G and his obsession with everything Roman. It was here though that he encountered the first hooded individuals who weren't looking at him and were conversing with one another, completely unaware that he and Une were just mere feet away from them.

Hmph, so much for being cultists.

Apparently, though, he had underestimated these guys' awareness as they all turned as one towards him, their hoods shadowing their faces so he couldn't get a good look at them. There was one of these people who were tall, about a full head taller than the four hooded guys around him and it seemed like he was the person in change as he spoke in a deep voice towards Une, "Thank you Une. We've not been waiting too long, well, unless you count the whole scheme of things, of course."

"Of course," Une agreed, a small smile still on her face.

The hooded man then turned towards him. "So you are this generation's Death Mage? To be honest, I thought you would've been taller…"

Okay, now he was taking offense to that. "Hey, we all can't be giants, ya know!" he grumbled loudly.

"And feisty," a feminine voice spoke from a hood. "Not a bad thing to have."

"Alright, who are you guys and what do you want?" Duo demanded. "Can we please just get over all the cloak and dagger stuff? It's getting annoying."

"For you, anything," the tall hooded man said as he lifted two thin yet long hands to pull off his hood, his four shorter companions doing the same. This tall guy had a thin head from what he could tell and he was balding but the lines that crinkled around his eyes put the braided one at ease for some reason. _Laughter lines_, he thought to himself and shook his head to get rid of the unheeded thought.

The other four were just two men and two women, the women possessing graying or completely white hair, their wrinkles varying among each other. The shorter men, though, were as different as night and day as one looked older than dirt and the other—

"What the hell!" he exclaimed. "You're that guy! Antonio!"

"Ansinio," the young man chuckled sheepishly. His dark eyes looked pleadingly at him as he said, "I apologize for mistaking you for a girl, again. It was dark then and I can very much see that you're—"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Duo interrupted, crossing his arms over his chest nervously. What was it with him and meeting people who had double lives?

"It seems you two have a history with one another," the tall man chuckled; smile widening at Duo's vehement protest. "Nevertheless, it is still an honor to finally meet you. I know I've waited a long time and was almost afraid that I wouldn't get to see you at least once."

"Oh shove it," the man who was older than dirt cackled. "If anyone had to worry about that, it would be me!"

For some odd reason, Duo didn't feel put off by this but instead felt more relaxed. Then again, that could probably be attributed to the sensation he had of Death peering through his eyes and not judging the current situation to be threatening but that could all just be speculation right there.

"No, you'll outlive us all; you're just too stubborn to die," one of the women shot back.

"Am I missing something here?" he whispered to Une, not letting his eyes leave the quintuplet for a second. It was kinda like watching a train wreck in a way; horrible to look at but you just can't look away…

"Not likely," Une told him as the friendly squabble continued. "They're just old friends."

"Now hush you," the other female said, looking in a grandmotherly way at the braided one. "You're confusing him."

"How rude of us!" the tall man said as he lowered his head, bowing apologetically. "You must have so many questions of us and here we are arguing like children!"

"You bet your asses," Duo agreed, not in the mood to be polite.

"Allow us to introduce ourselves," the tall man replied. "You may call me Reichert. I am the 'official' head of the group."

"Madeline," the woman who had stopped the verbal fighting said. "You'll have to excuse us; we're not exactly young and we easily lose track of what we are doing.

"I am Ann," the other woman said, her head of graying hair bobbing with her head bow.

"You already know who Ansinio is," Reichert continued, "so we can skip over him for now. The last of us here," he added, gesturing to the man who was older than dirt, "is Rolf. He's been around here for a long time, longer than me in fact.

"All five of us together are the leaders of Death's Hand, your loyal followers and servants. Until the time your master has called you back, we will serve you until our dying days and into thereafter should you have us."

"Don't you think you guys are kinda taking this all a bit…extreme?" Duo asked hesitantly.

Reichert's eyebrows rose slightly at that and he shook his head. "On the contrary, lad, we are but the mere descendants of those who have served your station and as well as those who see you as a symbol of hope, like young Une there."

Duo glanced at Une who had a slight blush but he decided not to press her about it, at least not yet. "Would you be disappointed if I was a bit skeptical about all this?"

"We know of what your life has been; we wouldn't expect anything less," Madeline told him. "But before you decide to do anything rash, give us the opportunity, the privilege to serve you."

"This is all getting to be too epic for me to handle!" Duo nearly exclaimed as he raised a hand up to rub his forehead.

"Then allow us to lighten your burden," Ansinio piped up, almost sounding a bit desperate. "And if you do not see us as truthful, then please, cast your gaze upon them!"

Them? Duo looked up and noticed that Ansinio was pointing to something that was just behind the quintuplet and he felt a bit anxious about it but nevertheless crept forward to get a better look at just what the young man wanted him to see.

Imagine his surprise to see a veritable sea of brown robed men and woman, all look up at him and the six adults at his side and like a wave, the crowd bowed lowly to him. His mouth fell open at the multitudes before him and once again he felt out of his breath. Turning around, he saw that Une and the five group heads were also bowing towards him and they weren't doing a measly head bow but a bending at the waist kind of bow.

"Whoa," he mumbled to himself, eyes wide. He felt a lump of dread in his gut as thoughts raced throughout his mind but only one really was noticeable to him.

What kind of shit was he involved with?


	28. The Tension Grows Thicker

Author's Note: Been typing here and there but the going is slow. So KO, if you're reading this, we may have a new chapter sometime next week, if I can get my ass motivated. Is the block over, hard to say but a little progress is better than none, correct? Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

The Tension Grows Thicker

The rolling landscape of Italy made no impression on Xavien as his private plane soared overhead. When he had said he was coming to Rome, he didn't mean in the next few days, he meant now.

Of course, he had to make a few calls first, one to a small airstrip where he had a couple planes stashed and then another few to certain sources to make confirmations on where matters stood. He needed to have a plan to work with once he arrived and already the threads of one were forming in his mind.

Once the plane touched down, he would double check these sources just to be sure that nothing had changed in the two hours since he left his private holding.

No more monkey business; it was time that he tighten his grip on this rapidly falling out of control situation and ensure nothing ruined his plans. He would not tolerate an L2 _streetrat_ making a mockery of him!

* * *

Quatre felt like bashing his own head in at the turn in events. Ever since he and the others had learned what Solo had discovered, things had begun spiraling out of control.

Currently, Solo and Heero were out in the city, combing over every inch they could while he was cooped up in their new living quarters with Wufei while Trowa kept an eye out on the old safehouse in case Duo showed up there. As unlikely as that was, they still needed to cover as many of their bases as they possibly could.

But the headache that was growing steadily towards migraine levels in his head got even worse when he had to report back to his sister what had happened. He was short and to the point and much to his dread, did not receive a reply then and still hadn't.

This did not bode well for his sanity.

No really, he was serious. The stress was getting to him in a way that war and death had yet to do and for once he wished he could give in to the urge to tear his hair out and throw a tantrum like a five year old. So much was going so wrong and he was so tired of being the one everybody looked to for some kind of plan.

Not even he could foresee the future! And even if he had access to somebody who could, he still wouldn't be able to plan for every single variable or occurrence that could happen. He was just as mortal and fallible as everyone else, even if there were times he forgot about that.

The door to their new base of operations opened and slammed into the wall with a bang as a really disgruntled Heero marched in, stomping towards the small kitchen. It was at this point in time he wished he had hid the set of kitchen knives that were in there but his worry was alleviated as Heero was only getting himself something to drink despite being harsh on everything he touched.

So that was one of the groups that was back and it didn't look like he had been successful at any rate. Only Trowa and Solo were still out and about, the latter he had no clue as to his current whereabouts. For once, he found that he could have cared less about it as he continued to slump in a chair, looking out of it and defeated.

It couldn't have been more than a minute since Heero got back that Solo did but instead of using the door like any sensible or polite person would do, he came up through the floor instead. It had taken the smaller blond longer to notice how the shadows had begun gathering on the floor but by the time he had, a blond head was already popping up out of it.

It was sad; he couldn't muster up any energy to get on the other blond's ass for his blatant use of magic.

Solo, meanwhile, seemed to be exhibiting the same kind of depression as he was, seeing as how he threw himself onto the couch as soon as he saw it and heaved out a long, exhausted sigh while pressing his head into the cushions. To be perfectly honest, that seemed like a very, very good idea at the moment.

"Well?" Heero's sharp voice demanded from the direction of the kitchen. Huh, looks like the Asian nationality wasn't put off enough that he didn't notice that Solo had also gone out to search. To think these two could work together for once…

Solo said something, but it couldn't be discernable due to the fact that his voice was muffled by the couch cushions. Hell, even he with his Gundam pilot training hadn't been able to make out anything from the reply, not even if it was a sentence or just one word.

"What?" Heero said, peeved.

This time, Solo lifted his head up before he said anything. "Nothin'," he spat out. "I found nothin', ya asshole."

Leave it to Solo to still be a smart asshole even in this dire time.

Heero snorted and began pacing around the suite. For some reason, to Quatre he resembled some kind of predator, like a panther or a lion. If he had claws, the Japanese pilot would be flexing them right now, maybe even sharpening them.

Ever the one to try and defuse conflict, Quatre felt the need to try and at least get some of the tension out of this room even though he had a gut feeling that it would be a bad idea. To be honest, due to his upbringing he had been taught to ignore such feelings despite Instructor H's attempts to undo it. Hmm, maybe he should start listening to said gut instincts more…

That last thought became more of a consideration as soon as he got the replies back from the two.

"Fuck him!" Solo had growled. "He don't like me an' I don't like him an' that's that! It's like getting a dog ta like a fuckin' cat."

"Dogs can be trained to like cats," Heero had growled back unexpectedly.

Solo narrowed his eyes at that, as if he had caught an underlying insult that the other, smaller blond hadn't caught. "What that suppose ta mean, Fido?"

"Excuse me?" Heero's eyes narrowed and his metaphorical hackles began to rise.

"Oh what, ya deaf now?" Solo sneered as he rolled onto his back and sat up. "Did your pilot training screw up more than your personality?"

"Guys!" Quatre exclaimed, trying once more to intervene though he felt as if he was swimming upstream against an unstoppable current. "This isn't the time for this!"

"Shut up Quatre," Heero unexpectedly snapped, his Prussian blue eyes resting fully and unflinchingly on Solo. "This is between me and this gutter trash."

"Oh, I'm gutter trash, huh?" Solo snarled, standing up to his full height. Hands balled into fists, he said, "That's it, pretty boy, I'm gonna fuck ya up three ways from Sunday. Get your ass over here!"

"With pleasure," Heero retorted.

However, he didn't go far as Wufei suddenly roared, "What are you two doing? Have you no shame? What are you, children?" The Chinese nationality had come across the scene but unlike Quatre, he was more than willing to take a more proactive stance, even if it included resorting to violence to put an end to this.

"Naw, stay outta this," Solo said, cracking his knuckles. This was a bit odd, especially since the blond usually resorted to whining or complaining, especially if Duo was here.

But Duo wasn't here…

"For once I agree," Heero added. "You think you can take me, bring it on," the ex-pilot ordered at the blond, "if you can!"

Solo just made a guttural snarl as he leapt over the small coffee table that rested in-between them. Heero, though, was ready and he caught the jumping blond with ease. Twisting his waist, Heero spun his body and used the blond's own momentum to throw him across the room and into the wall, the blond's body leaving an impressive dent in the wall, cracks spreading out like a spider web.

Though Solo looked as if he was apparently winded by the maneuver, he had pushed himself up into a crouch and launched himself straight at Heero and tackled him. The two fell back and landed on the coffee table, the piece of furniture snapping and breaking under their combined weight.

In an instant, Heero rolled them over so now he was hovering over Solo and with a fist; he slammed it harshly into Solo's face. Quatre couldn't help but wince at that; he was more than sure that something had broken from that blow.

Solo wasn't going to go down without a fight, though it looked like he was having trouble retaining consciousness but as Heero threw his fist back down for another blow, the blond slid his head to a side, Heero's fist slamming into and through the carpeted floor. Solo took the opportunity to land a punch of his own into Heero's face but he didn't stop with one and kept on going.

One punch wouldn't affect Heero like most people would but even he couldn't take repeated blows in the same spot for long. Maneuvering his leg around Heero's, Solo rolled them over and continued to punch at Heero. Due to his arm still being in the floor, Heero resorted to another method of attack; he caught Solo's fist with his unoccupied hand and threw his head up into Solo's to deliver a harsh head butt.

Moving his knee in-between them, Heero then shoved the blond off and rolled back onto his stomach so that he could pull his arm out of the floor easier. Solo meanwhile was clutching his head with one hand where trails of blood could be seen running down the side of his face and from his nose.

"Son of a bitch!" Solo snarled as he threw himself at Heero.

It was now that both Wufei and Quatre intervened, Wufei taking Heero while Quatre tackled the flying blond. Contrary to his slight looks, Quatre was physically stronger than he appeared and kept himself in tiptop shape as was habit drilled into him from his training. He easily wrestled Solo to the floor and got him in a headlock, not bothering in trying to withhold any discomfort.

With his vantage being on Solo's back, his knees and lower legs balanced on the floor, it was a cinch to hold the much larger blond down.

Wufei, meanwhile, had applied a couple nerve pinches on Heero to temporarily paralyze him with an immense amount of pain. Heero would recover quickly, but for now that would be enough to keep this fight from escalating.

There was a pounding at the door and Quatre cursed when he recognized the deep voices as belonging to hotel security. Great, just what they needed, more trouble. He shouted at them that everything was under control and that he would pay for any damages, apologizing profusely while he was at it.

When that didn't seem to be working, he laid a powerful binding spell on Solo and went to the door to deal with the hotel personnel. With as much patience as he could muster, he listened to the staff, nodded his head politely, and replied time and again that he would make sure nothing else would occur that would cause the other hotel guests to complain.

Some wheeling and dealing later, he was back in the living room, peeved that he was shoving so much money at the staff and all because of two hotheads who wanted to tear each other apart in the loudest way possible.

And let's not forget the disregard for property either.

Arriving, he returned just in time to see Solo finally overcome the binding spell but the smaller blond was feeling a bit vindictive and he cast another strong binding spell, one that had the larger blond flopping back down onto the floor like a fish on dry land. Smirking, the blond turned his sights onto Heero and let his facial features harden.

"I hope you both know you'll be paying me back for this," he stated, placing his hands on his hips. "Now, would you care to explain why you both are acting like children, hmm?"

"He started it," Solo muttered from his place on the floor, seemingly giving up on trying to free himself for the moment. Quatre was sure that if he could, Heero would have been throwing a glare at the bound blond but Wufei had taken care of that before it had become an issue.

Quatre only frowned. "I don't care. Now, what I want for you two to do once you have feeling return to your bodies is to fix this place up to the best of your abilities. Do I make myself clear?"

Solo grumbled and Heero successfully managed to throw a glare at him, Quatre. Quatre just shook his head and tightened his control over his binding spell while casting another on Heero and squeezing the other with it.

"I'm sorry, did you two say something?" Quatre asked dryly, lessening the grip he had on the two.

"Got it," Solo mumbled while Heero "Hn."

Quatre knew that this would be the best he would get out of the two for now so he didn't bother trying to force anything else out of them. No, he would just make life a living hell for them instead to make sure he got his point across that he wasn't going to be tolerating their shenanigans.

Wufei didn't even look put off from the blond's display of dominance but then again, perhaps he had wanted something like this to occur. He couldn't really say since he couldn't read what the other was feeling from his face and he just wasn't in the mood to cheat and use his empathy.

At least, had it been a few hours ago he would have. Of course, back then he had been trying to use that damned skill to try and locate Duo without success. He was really beginning to see the spell as useless…

He had never been so frustrated in his life! Not for the first time did he wish that someone else was in his position and that's not only years of education in magic but also the time served during the wars. Sure, he agreed with Duo's statement "better them than someone else," but right now he felt a bit entitled to getting some fucking relief and maybe a nice vacation from reality.

Damn, he needed a drink right about now.

"Who could that be?" he suddenly heard Wufei muttered and he frowned, pausing as he heard a knock at the door that he hadn't heard. Okay, he was agreeing with Wufei's previous statement.

Before Wufei could make it halfway through the trek of going to the door, the blond was already at it, more than ready to chew someone's head up. He had had it up to _here_, damn it!

Practically tearing the door off its hinges with brute force alone, the curt words that had been about to lash out with help from his tongue turned to ash.

Right there with a hand raised, ready to know on the door again, was Amelia. His sister was blinking her eyes owlishly at him and right behind her stood his other sister, Deborah who was looking quite peeved at the moment.

In fact, it was Deborah who spoke up first. "So you lost him again?" she stated dryly. "Is it too much to ask for a little competence, little brother?"

"Deborah!" Amelia exclaimed, slightly scandalized though Quatre could tell that she was probably thinking the same thing. Great, this is just what he needed to complete this already shitty day. Stern disapproval from a sister trying to emulate their dead father. God, perhaps he should take a gun and shoot himself in the head just to get away from all this.

And yes, he really was considering it.

"Who are these two women?" he heard Wufei ask from behind him, his disapproval audible in the word "woman." Looks like things just got worse…

"Oh, is this one of your little pilot friends?" Deborah asked dismissively. "You decided to bring him along? How cute."

"Deborah this isn't the time," Quatre growled, his teeth clenched as he was currently agreeing with Wufei's unconscious message of striking his sister down. Huh, guess he let go of his empathy again and he was feeling his comrade's emotions, again.

"Hey, who's da bitch?" he heard Solo call from the living room, somehow having heard the verbal volleys.

Deborah just huffed and pushed past Amelia, Wufei, and himself and made her way in the direction of Solo's voice. Quatre felt a sense of dread in his gut but for some reason he couldn't find it in himself to try and head off another impending conflict. Maybe he was serious about this whole giving up thing.

"Oh dear…" he heard Amelia say from the doorway but he found himself not really paying attention as he headed toward the living room like an automaton.

"And just _who_ are _you_?" he heard Deborah demand as he reentered the living room, seeing Solo sitting up having gotten free of his binding spell.

Solo snorted, showing the familiar distain for authority that he had seen Duo express many a time before. Funny, they both had the same look on their face too. "Nobody," the blond drawled out.

Somebody had an attitude.

Deborah huffed again and turned back to him. "Another pilot?"

Before he could answer, Solo spoke up for himself. "Nope, L2 born and raised and fuckin' proud of it."

"Good for you," Deborah stated disinterestedly.

Solo narrowed his eyes. "What's that suppose to mean?"

You'd have to be blind, deaf, and dumb to not see that things were spiraling downwards and Quatre was not one of those things. However, he found he just couldn't bring himself to do anything about it. This was a train wreck in the making and you know the thing about those: there's nothing you can do about them.

"Hey! I'm talkin' to you!" Solo growled as he got up to his feet.

"Huh? Did you say something?" Deborah asked before proceeding to ignore him again, preferring to level her attention at her more important baby brother. "Now, Quatre," she began, not heeding Solo's squawk of protest or his twitching left eye, "care to explain just what you've been doing?"

"Outside of the regular updates I gave you?" Quatre replied. "There's nothing else to tell."

"Wait, you've been speaking to these two?" Wufei gasped, startled. "When? How?"

"That is none of your concern," Deborah said, not even bothering to look at the Chinese youth, much to his displeasure. "Quatre, how could you lose him? You know how important he is! Damn it, I knew we should have brought him to L4."

"You know why that's a bad idea!" Quatre protested. "It would have taken longer to get Duo to learn any magic because of all the iron! And The Collective would have been able to take him much easier!"

"Please, brother, we had protections all over the estate," Deborah rolled her eyes. "There would have been no way for that to have happened."

"Then you don't know Duo; he would've gone stir crazy!" Quatre exclaimed. "He would have escaped the mansion and you know that those protections are only good against magic! Plus Duo has an uncanny ability to worm his way out of any entrapment! Goodness knows we've done everything to keep him safe and we're some of the best in our respective fields! If he can get away from us, it would have been no problem for him to walk out the front doors of our home."

"Heh, he'd do that too," Solo chuckled from behind, momentarily forgetting how pissed he was at the girl that was so blatantly insulting them.

"Please, you overestimate him," Deborah retorted. "And give us some credit, we're some of the best in the magic world."

"Oh? Strong enough to take on someone named Pike Verso?" Quatre shot back. "I didn't know about him before but he managed to beat me. Me!"

He heard Amelia gasp but Deborah only snorted in response. "That's because you haven't dedicated yourself to your magic, little brother. You're more than rusty."

"Ya know you're full of shit, right?" Solo spat at her, this time getting Deborah's attention.

"Excuse me?" Deborah hissed, glaring at the blond.

Much to Quatre's surprise, Solo didn't continue with something insulting. Instead he said, "Do ya even know how ta fight? And really, when was da last time you attacked with magic? Probably never I bet. Unless ya can put your money where your mouth is, I say you should shut the fuck up about shit you have no clue about."

"Who do you think you are?" the offended Winner hissed. "Do you have any idea who I am? Who we are?"

"I don't give a shit who da fuck you are," Solo snapped back. "You can be Jesus for all I care. In fact, why don't'cha prove your power right here, right now. C'mon! Hit me with your best shot!"

"With pleasure," Deborah hissed, unknowingly echoing Heero from moments before and ignoring Quatre's cry to stop as she suddenly shot a blast of magic straight at the L2 native. Solo, though, blocked it with a shield and held the blast up, purposely yawning at the display of might and then with one hand fired a small orb of light that pierced through the Winner's spell like a hot knife through butter and shot straight at Deborah, stopping mere inches from her shocked face.

With a gesture from his fingers, Solo dispelled his spell and bored his eyes intensely into Deborah. "You call that an attack? I had a harder time with that Bryce guy and he completely sucked at magic. You're nothin' but a whiny bitch who thinks she's all that but you ain't got shit!"

"Why you," Deborah practically shrieked as she hurled herself at Solo only to be caught up in a web of shadows that held her tightly, so much so that she was starting to moan in pain at the pressure being applied on her.

"Solo! That's enough!" Quatre bellowed.

Solo merely shrugged and released Deborah, turning his back on her without a second thought. "Pathetic," he spat back. "Duo woulda been in more danger with you than us."

Deborah looked as if she was about to strike again at Solo except that she suddenly found herself restrained by a sneering Wufei.

"Stop acting like fucking children," Wufei commanded, cursing for the first time in Quatre's presence. "You should be ashamed of yourselves. Winner, I expected more from one such as your sister but apparently, even _Solo_ is more mature than she is. Reign her in or I will not be held responsible for my actions. As for you, Solo, get it together and start using your head! None of this fighting is getting us anywhere closer to finding Maxwell. If anything, it's making us move further away from him."

"Wufei's right," Quatre picked up. "None of this is doing any good. Amelia," he said, turning towards his other sister, "get in touch with our inside source and figure out what The Collective's up to. If they have Duo, then there will be activity in their ranks, both high and low.

"Meanwhile," he continued, "we'll continue searching the city for any clues as to what happened to Duo or where he may be. We can't fall apart right now because that's what The Collective would want and if they don't have him it'll give them the chance to get their hands on him."

"And since when are you in charge?" Deborah challenged, seething.

"Since none of the guys are going to even pay any attention to you and they respect me," Quatre retorted, not holding back on his opinions, finally tired of being Mr. Nice Guy. Turning back to the others, he began again, "Now, once you guys have cooled off, I want you going over the city again and leave no nook or cranny unchecked. Heero, I'm going to want you to…"

* * *

Xavien entered Morrigu's hotel room without much fanfare, not in the mood to play anymore games. A simple spell had rendered the locks on the doors useless and he merely walked right in, not caring that he had a small audience of two in front of him. He narrowed his eyes at Pike Verso, noting that the pale man looked very disgruntled and was casting Morrigu some rather dark looks while Morrigu himself was treating himself to a glass of wine.

With a flick of a finger, Xavien sent a tiny bolt of sickly green magic straight at the glass and shattering it, getting wine all over his vampiric cohort.

"Glad I have your attention," he said, smirking cruelly. "It's time to get down to business. I want to know everything that has been going on, even to the most minute detail. Leave nothing out. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, yes, Janus," Morrigu grumbled as he struggled to wipe the wine off him. "But could you next time not drench me in such a manner? It's rude."

"No games Morrigu!" Xavien thundered. "I swear, if you try any of your stunts, I will fry your ass to a pile of ashes and scatter you to the winds, regardless of whether or not you have any vital information. The minor leagues are over boys."

Pausing, his voice lowered slightly and gained a scratchy consonance to it. "We're playing for keeps now."


	29. Rage and Despair

Author's Note: Finished a brand new chapter recently and here is the regular update of a chapter that was written about two months ago, give or take a few days. Sure this could have come out earlier but life gets in the way. I did keep to my word that I would finish the chapter sometime this week, though, so that counts for something. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

Rage and Despair

When you live underground, it becomes a bit of a challenge to know just how long a day is, especially when you don't have the sun around as reference. For Une, she was more than used to it due in part to her time up in the Colonies where the sun was just another star among trillions. She wouldn't be surprised if Duo was also able to make the transition back to the Colonial time keeping system.

But she had noticed that the young pilot had been keeping to himself in his room for quite some time, a far cry from the usually gregarious person he was back at Preventer Headquarters. Then again, he had been a Gundam pilot and she had been told he had been observed in bouts of depression before though that was all secondhand information.

Just like how she had come into all of this. Everything she had heard about magic had been secondhand, that was until she met Reichert and the other heads. It was then that she became a believer.

You're probably wondering how she came into all of this, though. What was somebody like her, someone so pragmatic and jaded, abused by war and abandoned by those who were blinded to who she really was? You see, she hadn't become Director of the Preventers right off the bat. In fact, it wasn't until after the Mariemaia Incident that the militaristic organization was formed so that left one entire year where she was left to her own devises.

Sad to say, she had fallen into her own bout of depression, one so severe that she had to be institutionalized for a short time. What had been the cause for it? Why, the death of his Excellency, Trieze Khushrenada. At first she had been able to keep her composure but once the final battle with White Fang had ended, there was nothing left for her. Her conduct and role in the Eve Wars had at that time tainted her and there was the fact she had developed a second personality so that spoke of so many psychological problems she had.

The short of it was that no one trusted her and wanted her to disappear off the map. That was exactly what she did for a few months before her institutionalization. The death of her beloved Trieze haunted her and she found she couldn't stop mourning his death. At one point she had been searching every data base to try and locate a missing Chang Wufei with the sole intent of killing him and avenging her mentor and perhaps her one true love.

From there, things got worse; she became an alcoholic, couldn't function in a mild managerial position, and had to declare bankruptcy. After months inside the mental hospital, she had been approached by two elder women, both of whom she would later know as Madeline and Ann.

At first she thought the two were certifiably insane and merely humored them. Come on, magic? Stuff from children's stories? Looks like somebody hadn't decided to grow up. But then some odd things began to occur, such as none of the hospital staff ever seeing the two women, locks not working whenever the women were nearby and then working when they weren't.

Finally, she consented to their request of taking her to a few of their colleagues. Already the hospital staff was beginning to think she had taken a turn for the worse so why not indulge these obvious hallucinations? Then things got odder as she and the two literally walked out of the hospital and no one stopped them, or even acknowledged them.

Then she met Reichert and Rolf and then the reason as to why she was being approached by these people became clear. The more they explained, the more fantastic yet ridiculous the story became. According to them, they were searching for an individual known as the Death Mage, their purpose being none other than to protect him or her from outside forces that would try and exploit them to dangerous ends. They mentioned the Winners as former members of their group and they talked nonstop about an enigmatic organization called The Collective.

But what was the kicker was that they had been contacted by someone beyond the grave, a soul who had come to warn them that The Collective was getting too close to the Death Mage. This soul had told them to approach her and obtain her help in tracking the Mage down, her persistence and determination especially being emphasized.

That soul had been none other than her Trieze and while she wanted nothing more than to tear these people apart for daring to play with her emotions, they used magic before her eyes and got her into contact with Trieze himself.

Even in the thereafter, he was still trying to protect humanity. It had taken some time though but eventually she had become convinced that this was real and that once again his Excellency was relying on her take up the baton he had handed her.

Immediately, she began to clean up, regaining her prestige once again and reentering the government, though only going as far up as a bureaucrat at the time. The Barton Foundation's attempted coup suddenly took up too much of her time and when it was all over, she had determined that trying to preserve the peace all by herself was too much. There were threats from all sides, from those of their physical world to the secretive Collective that lurked in humanity's shadows.

The Preventers had been her brainchild and thanks to Relena it had become a reality. Now that she was head of the world's police force, she began splitting her time evenly, taking on more scientifically based villains like William Bryce and other would be rebels and determining just how far The Collective's reach extended.

Imagine her surprise to find that some of the latest names in government and business as well as other persons of importance were involved, some even being in charge of The Collective's activities. They were people who would be missed so assassination was out of the question. The only way it seemed to combat these people was finding the Death Mage and keeping whoever it was out of their hands.

That was where Duo came in and now some of the things he had accomplished during the wars could be rationalized. It seemed his moniker, the God of Death, wasn't only in name; Death itself had been hounding the braided teen's steps for nearly two decades and no one had been the wiser.

In fact, she hadn't figured it out until the incident in the Caribbean and Bryce's escape. That was why she had ordered the pilots into hiding in Rome where Duo would be in easy reach of Death's Hand. The youngest of the heads, Ansinio would make first contact and place a tracking spell on him so that they wouldn't be too far removed from him.

And now here they were and Une couldn't help but feel some maternal instincts for the pilot that had closeted himself away. Everything was changing, for all of them. How long would he be safe here? How long would anyone of them be safe? The questions haunted her and her worry only increased by the day.

Would humanity ever find peace?

That was a question for wiser minds than hers but for now she'd keep vigil over Duo until he emerged from his isolation or something else occurred.

Apparently, it was the first option that happened first as the door to Duo's room opened, revealing the braided youth. He looked tired was the first thing that popped up into her mind and while she was a bit concerned, that worry was soon displaced as those unnaturally violet eyes lit up upon seeing her.

"Something on your mind?" she asked casually, wondering what could be going through the other's head.

"Yeah, a lot of shit that I don't want to think about anymore," Duo replied cheerfully. "Right now, I wanna find out what you guys have to offer. I mean, what could you possibly know that I haven't been told about? I won't learn anything by sitting around on my ass doing nothing."

Une smiled down at him. "Good to hear you're back in good spirits."

"Hey, we can't be happy all the time," Duo shrugged. "It's hard trying to be like that all the time."

Une raised an eyebrow at him but didn't press any further. Perhaps there was more to the loud and brash young man than she had previously thought.

"Reichert and the others would be the best to start with," she told him as she turned around to lead him to the heads of Death's Hand. Hopefully some questions she had would also be answered by them.

* * *

Three days had passed since Quatre's sisters had arrived and they were nowhere closer to finding Duo than they were the moment he went missing. Solo found himself becoming not only irritable but also his patience becoming shorter and shorter as time dragged along.

Where the hell could Duo be? And why hadn't he done anything to at least let him know he was all right? And more importantly, why the hell did he leave him to deal with Soldier Boy of all people? Honestly, the tension that was between them had gotten to the point that they could barely be in the same room without getting into a fight.

If he were to see the other right now, he didn't know if he would be able to stop himself from killing him. The shadows all around him were flickering and licking wildly, as agitated as he was. One slip and he had no idea what would happen.

Not only that, there was blondie's older sister who was also getting on his nerves. He liked Amelia but he despised the other so much that he wouldn't acknowledge her name, not even in his own head.

Man, the things he put himself through all for the Kid. That brat owed him so much for this. When he got his hands on him, he wasn't going to be letting him out of his sight for a long, long time.

Currently, he had holed himself up in the room that he once shared with Duo and was trying to attempt to clear his mind of all the thoughts he had towards committing murder anytime soon. Needless to say, that was easier said then done and right now it looked to be a losing battle. He had even gotten past all the meditation techniques that Adrian had forced into his head.

So in one last, desperate attempt to not kill anybody, he had resorted to just doing all the physical exercises that Adrian had drilled into him. Push-ups, sit-ups, anything that could be done with one's body outside of yoga. He had probably gone an hour or two with this impromptu workout and by now had rid himself of most of his clothing to keep from overheating himself.

Sweat dripped from his body in buckets and after sitting up from one sit-up, he finally allowed himself to collapse back onto the floor, gasping for air while staring straight up at the ceiling. His muscles burned throughout his body and while he still entertained thoughts of hurting people, he found that he was just too tired to get up and do such a thing. Perhaps it was a good thing he was in this position; at least for the time being he wasn't a threat to anybody's life.

Eventually, his gasps turned to sobs as soon a different liquid slid against his skin, originating from his eyes instead of from various parts of his body. His mind warred in retaliation, demanding his body stop as "boys didn't cry." His body, however, begged to differ and what he now identified as tears continued leaking without end.

Why was this so hard? Why when it seemed like things were just starting to come together in his life did something have to come and take it away, forcing him back to square one? First it was dying, then it was Adrian dying, and now he had once again lost the Kid. He was fucking sick of this whole routine and he wanted to scream, throw a tantrum, level the whole building, or something, just to get the rage out of his body.

Instead, he was lying on the floor, practically naked, and crying like a little bitch. Fuck, let him tear something apart; he'd even settle for taking on the entire Collective guys if he had to. Sure it was suicidal but with the way he was feeling right now, he really didn't give a shit. He hadn't even taken the time to stop and think about why he was feeling like this. It could be the possibility that he didn't care why and was just going with it or maybe he didn't want to think about it and try the tried and true path of denial.

Whichever it was, it changed absolutely nothing. He was still laying on the floor, completely exhausted, and not any closer to finding where Duo was.

How fucking pathetic was he?

For once he just wanted to be there, when it counted. Instead, when the chips were down it was usually Duo who came to the rescue. Bryce had been too pathetic but Wolf and Pike had been different matters at the time but it had been Duo who took them down. Was he doomed to become a groupie, like Trowa and those other two? Oh no, hell no, he wouldn't allow that!

He summoned some shadows around one hand and dove his fingers into them. However, he hadn't anything in mind to do with them other than letting the shadows run amuck on his hand. But he was determined to not just get better; he was fucking going to master everything he already knew and perfect them even so that the next fight they got into, it would be nothing more than a piece of cake to handle.

He was not going to let Duo fight alone, not ever again.

* * *

"So all the pieces are set up, correct?" Xavien asked pleasantly.

Pike nodded his head. "To your exact specifications," he stated tonelessly.

From his seat, Morrigu snorted. "I don't see why you're doing all this for such a simple plan," he spat out. "Couldn't we just go to them and take them now? One look into my eyes and it's all over! Like that!" he emphasized by snapping his fingers.

"Such a thing would tip them off to what I have in mind," Xavien snapped back though there was no real anger in his voice. How calm he could become with things that were going according to plan. "No, why give them home field advantage? Anyway, there is still one last piece to obtain and then the show can begin. I've already leaked it out to the grapevine that I have all those pilots captured. It's only a matter of time before the Death Mage shows up to save them."

"But we don't even have them in our possession!" Morrigu protested.

"Not for long," Xavien replied as he took out his phone and dialed a number.

Morrigu would have shared a skeptical look with Pike but the other hadn't so much as glanced at him in the past few days and wasn't going to be doing so anytime soon.

"It's me," Xavien said into the phone. "I need you to come down towards the port area, where the warehouses and storage containers are set up. You do this and I will no longer ask anything else from you. Of course you have my word! Be sure to leave something so they will be able to track you down. Mmhmm. Yes. Yes. Would I lie to you? Hmph, now you're hurting my feelings."

This time Morrigu just rolled his eyes. As if Janus had any emotions to begin with…

"I mean, I could just go through you and hurt that young man," Xavien continued talking, chatting as if the subject was about the weather. "My way gives them the best chance of them surviving so what more would you have to lose? I'll be sending Morrigu to pick you up so you need to have everything ready by this. Yes, this is the last thing I will ever ask of you, you have my word. Alright, see you soon."

Closing his phone with a snap, Xavien gave Morrigu a look. "You heard me," he said dryly. "Go pick up our insider and have everything ready in an hour. The fireworks should be beginning real soon."

"You're a real piece of work, Janus, you know that?" Morrigu threw at him before activating a teleportation spell.

In an instant, he was gone.

Xavien, though, looked pleased. "Come along, Verso," he said to the other, not even looking at him. "We mustn't be late to our own party."

* * *

Another day, another fruitless search for Duo. Trowa, though, wasn't bummed out about it. When having to infiltrate enemy bases, you had to have a lot of patience as one lapse could get you killed in an instant. So yes, he had a lot of patience and hadn't been surprised when they hadn't found their missing friend on the first day.

But he wasn't blind to how the others were taking it. Heero and Solo had become worse, especially around each other, Wufei's temper was snapping at the slightest provocation, and Quatre was so on edge that Trowa was reminded of the first time he had encountered him on the Zero System. It didn't help in the slightest that his sisters had showed up and had made the tension between them all even worse.

Well, Amelia Winner was at least trying to be helpful; it was Deborah who was making an ass out of herself. At first he could tolerate her, to an extent, but now he couldn't be in the same building with her. He had heard some "stories" from Heero about Relena during the wars and he had to say, he would prefer that to Deborah Winner any day.

So yes, he was avoiding the hotel suite that Quatre had gotten but he made sure to have an excuse as to why he wasn't there. Thankfully he had been assigned to watch the old safehouse first thing and while that job was boring as hell, he preferred it over going back and had insisted that he continue on watching it "just in case."

It wasn't his fault that Wufei always seemed not to figure out what he already had. It was why he had chosen to stay with Heero and Solo after their first real fight back in the Caribbean. He just knew when things weren't right. Plus he had ample opportunity to call up Hannah to make sure she was all right.

He was beginning to regret having her come with them to Rome.

It wasn't that he didn't want her around; it was because he had been getting nervous lately. He hadn't been conscious when Duo had taken on the mercenary from the Coliseum so he didn't know if the man was still alive or not but he had a gut feeling that something wrong was just around the corner.

He didn't know what he would do if something were to happen to his fiancée. He had never placed so much emotional investment in one person, at least not since he had once had amnesia and relied solely on Catherine. Now, though, he was back to pre-war stability, albeit with some changes, and while he knew better than to invest so much of himself in one person, he couldn't help it.

For years he had wanted to feel wanted by someone, someone who didn't care about who he was, what he did, or what he was capable of. Catherine was one such person and he knew that she was the only person who would have taken him in as she did. Hannah, though, was different. In a pleasant way. Then again, she had been acquainted with Duo first so that ought to have meant something but he didn't care about that.

For the first time since time immemorial, he had found someone that he loved and could see himself spending the rest of his life with. It was a giddy feeling at times and he didn't care what others thought about it. He was happy; really and truly.

A vibration in his pants pocket alerted him that he had a call coming in. With nearly an inhuman speed, he had his cell phone out and was already quirking a small smile as he recognized the number. A few minutes talking to her shouldn't matter.

"Yes?" he drawled out. Had any of the other pilots seen him do that, they would have stared at him as if he had lost his mind. This was a side of him that he had only let his fiancée see and no one else.

"_Trowa! Help!"_ he heard Hannah's voice scream out from the phone and all easiness he had once had evaporated instantly.

"What's going on?" he snapped into his phone but only got a scream in reply before getting a dial tone.

He was already running as he snapped his phone closed, heading straight for his fiancée's hotel room. Sure he was leaving his post and Duo may show up at the one time he was gone but right now he could have cared less. The love of his life was in danger and nothing was going to keep him from coming to her aid. He knew what it was like to be helpless and he wouldn't let Hannah suffer as he had.

Minutes dragged on like hours and he felt several lifetimes pass him by and he sprinted through the city. Why was it taking him so long to reach his fiancée's side? It was absolutely killing him when each step he took didn't bring into view Hannah's hotel and he began to slightly despair.

And then there it was and he increased his pace. In an instant he was in the hotel lobby, ignoring the startled sounds of the staff and guests as he slammed his way into a stairwell, not patient enough to wait for the elevator. His muscles were beginning to burn now but he ignored it as he took the stairs two to three at a time and then burst out onto Hannah's floor.

He was glad he had long legs; he was able to cover more distance at a run and was soon in front of her door. He didn't stop, though, as he lowered a shoulder and rammed the wooden barrier, nearly tearing the door off its hinges.

His heart sank as he saw the chaos that greeted him. The whole room was in disarray, one huge mess that left no corner untouched. Immediately, he began searching through the mess, perhaps making the mess worse but not caring as he sought some trace of his endangered love. Five minutes passed and then ten but he found nothing. He was on the verge of screaming out his frustration in an animalistic howl when his sharp eyes caught on to something.

It was a folded piece of paper but it stuck out like a sore thumb. Gingerly, he picked it up and scanned through it, a hand tightening into a fist as his despair faded and was replaced by pure rage. His teeth clenched together and he nearly saw read but kept his head. It wouldn't do for him to give in to his anger and cause more property damage.

No, he knew what he needed to do; get some back up and chase the motherfuckers who dared to bring Hannah into all of this. Careful not to wrinkle the page, he stuffed it into a pocket and left the wrecked room, heading back towards where the others were staying.

The Collective was going to learn the hard way why you didn't piss off a Gundam pilot.


	30. Solo vs Morrigu

Author's Note: Before I forget, I'd like to extend a thank you to ShadowMajin for helping me out with the fight scene in this chapter. I swear, the guy's a fighting guru or something. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language, violence

Solo vs. Morrigu

You didn't have to be an empath to know that Trowa was pissed off but Quatre found that having the ability allowed him to brace himself just as the unibanged man made his loud entrance into the suite.

It was then he found that "pissed" was nowhere near the right word to describe what Trowa looked like.

"Read," the taller youth ordered as he shoved a folded piece of paper into his hands. Blinking dumbly while the other immediately stomped towards his room, Quatre found that his mind was blank for a moment before registering what he had been told to do. So he did it, looking down and unfolding the piece of paper.

What he found certainly explained something, though not everything.

_Come to the warehouse district at the docks_

_by midnight or you'll never see her again_

_alive_

Short, to the point but it told him nothing other than someone close to Trowa who was female was being held against her will. But who was this about—

When Trowa returned to the living room, armed to the teeth, the blond began to have a really bad feeling he knew just who was kidnapped. But now he had another problem to deal with: keeping the usually cool-headed Trowa from doing something incredibly rash.

By now, the uncharacteristic ruckus the unibanged young man was making had attracted the attention of the others, namely Wufei and Heero who didn't express surprise but were definitely concerned by what they found. Both knew that Trowa wasn't the type to just do something out of character. Either their comrade was losing it or had a very good reason to be behaving like this.

Regardless, it couldn't be good no matter what it was about.

"Trowa, calm down!" Quatre tried to order him.

In response, Trowa just threw him a glare that turned to ash anything else the blond might have said.

"What happened?" Heero demanded, interjecting himself into the situation.

Trowa's glare turned towards Heero but the Japanese pilot did not back down, returning a cold stare instead. It was silent for a moment and the tension between the two increased exponentially with every second that passed. Finally, Trowa spat out, "They took her."

"Who?" Heero demanded.

"Hannah," Trowa answered stiffly, his eyes daring Heero to try and stop him from leaving to go after his kidnapped fiancée.

"You think it was The Collective?" Quatre asked, trying to confirm his suspicions. If it was them, then why would they go after Hannah? This wasn't making any sense.

"Who else?" Trowa retorted.

Okay, he did have a point on that one but still, it could be so many other people that they hadn't considered or looked at yet. As he was about to speak again, another voice cut in.

"So what we waitin' for?" Solo's voice asked from the hallway. Quatre turned towards the other blond, raising an eyebrow up when he noticed the L2 native had only pants on, his defined, sweaty torso exposed to the cool air of the suite.

He wasn't even going to ask.

Trowa nodded at the blond. "They said to come to the docks, specifically the storage area," he stated. "We have until midnight to show up."

Solo nodded. "I'll get a shirt."

* * *

Une was troubled. She had just checked in with Preventers Headquarters, making sure that everything was still up, and while she had been returning to where Duo was practicing, she had been intercepted by a Death's Hand member who told her something very troubling.

What the robed member had told her didn't sound right but she hadn't checked in with the pilots yet. So, she made a detour and went back towards the installed phones and attempted to call the pilots up. All she received in return was the face of an unknown woman who claimed to be Quatre Winner's sister and also that the pilots had left some time ago to go somewhere.

It was fishy, the information she received, but she couldn't figure out just what it was that made her suspicious. So she was back on her original path with the intention of telling Duo just what she had been told and see what he thought about it. Maybe he could see something that she hadn't.

Speaking of Duo, the boy had progressed in his powers over the past couple of days, especially under the tutelage of Rolf. According to Duo, Quatre had been the one who had been teaching him and while the blond pilot of Sandrock had given him access to the huge hoard of magical power he had, Quatre hadn't taught him the skills to use it effectively without burning himself out to quickly.

That was where Rolf came in and for some odd reason the two got alone with one another, almost like they were siblings, cousins, or even father and son. Regardless, it may have been the fact that Rolf was old as dirt and was the closest one who could understand the abilities of the Death Mage. Not only that, he had always been a great teacher, the profession he had been a part of before he retired and went underground with Death's Hand.

And of course, Rolf was also the best at constructing barriers and shields. He always had a natural talent for such, according to the old man, so when he had Duo attack with offensive spells, he could endure them with ease. Since Duo's spells always carried a taint of Death in them that was saying a lot.

Speaking of the devil, she passed Rolf just now. The old man just gave her a toothy smile, revealing some noticeable gaps where teeth should have been. The man should invest in some dentures she thought to herself, stopping only long enough to inquire from the old master about what Duo was up to.

He told her that he was just cleaning up after their latest lesson, she gave the man her thanks and headed towards the place that Rolf had commandeered to teach the braided pilot all he knew. An entire building had been reserved by the cult head so it would take slightly a bit more time to find Duo but she was not deterred in the slightest.

She knew she had found her quarry when she ran up into an unyielding barrier and could see Duo sprawled out on the floor beyond, eyes closed and his posture radiating laziness.

"Better stay there," Duo spoke up, not opening his eyes yet knowing that she was there. "Not safe yet. Gotta suck up all the death magic in the air first."

She nodded, choosing to wait. That had been something that Duo had been surprised about; because every spell he cast had some residual of death in it, it stood to reason that if he wasn't careful, Duo could become the equivalent of a barrel of toxic waste site. So, after every lesson he had to stay behind and "clean up" after himself.

It was a process, according to both Rolf and Duo, but it had to be done nevertheless. Plus, Une didn't think he should hear what she had while in the midst of manipulating magic. Knowing the luck of a Gundam pilot, Duo would probably level the entire building by accident.

She waited patiently as Duo did what he needed to do but whatever patience she did have quickly dwindled down. What she had heard earlier wasn't the kind of information she wanted to keep away for too long.

Blinking his eyes open rapidly, Duo sat up slowly and dispelled his barrier. "Hey, what's happening?" he greeted, his voice colored with lethargy. The sleepy grin he gave her simply emphasized it more.

Now Une felt guilty; Duo was in such a relaxed mood and here she was about to cut it short.

"I came across a bit of information recently," she told him nonetheless. "I don't like it. Not just because what it's about but the timing of it as well."

"Just spill it, Une," Duo ordered though his voice was more playful than it was stern.

Sighing, Une said, "The other pilots have been captured. I checked on them and found that they aren't where I last heard them to be."

Duo froze before his lazy features hardened and frowned. "Captured? You're serious?"

"At one time or another, all of you have been captured," Une shrugged. "The thing is it's the person who allegedly captured them that makes me suspicious. A high-ranking Collective member who's involved in all their assassinations. It doesn't make any sense."

"Truth can be stranger than fiction," Duo told her, any hint of cheer in his tone completely gone. "Still, I thought those guys could take care of themselves. It's me The Collective is after, remember? I thought they'd be safe."

A sudden thought occurred to Une. "Could it be this is a trap?"

"To lure me out?" Duo finished for her. "Absolutely. Did they pick some good bait? Certainly. Do they have said bait in their hands? Don't know, but I'm going to treat it as if they do."

Une looked at him in alarm. "Tell me you aren't going to go out there!"

"Alright, I won't tell you," Duo replied, stretching his body to get some kinks out of it. Une couldn't help but groan aloud at that response.

"You implied it yourself, this is a trap!" she stated. "Not only that, but a high ranking Collective officer is involved and more than likely keeping your friends close to him. You're not ready to take on someone with that much experience over you; it'd be like suicide to go!"

"If they wanted me dead, they would have killed me already," Duo commented, trading her look for look. "They just want to capture me but now that I'm better at controlling my powers, that ain't gonna be happening so either you get out of my way or be prepared to be steamrolled."

Une raised an eyebrow at that. "Reichert and the others aren't going to let you leave, especially since you're implying you're going to someplace dangerous. And what if they don't have your friends?"

"I never think that far ahead," Duo said cheerily, "and if anybody has a problem, they can say it to my face. I'm going, Une, no matter if anybody cares or not. Heh, I'd like to see them try and stop me."

"This isn't a game, Duo," Une groaned.

"Don't you think I know that?" he retorted as he walked passed her silently slipped into the shadows of the building, casting an illusion over himself simultaneously.

* * *

Solo was growing impatient at the pace the other four were forcing on him as they snuck in towards the docks and the warehouses beyond. It wasn't like this was his first time sneaking around, he was a pro at it, so he was getting irritated by how the pilots were checking and double checking their surroundings before moving just a few more feet.

Plus, it wasn't like they didn't know which warehouse it was. There was a huge concentration of energy coming from just one of them that it stuck out like a beacon. It was as if the assholes wanted them to come straight to them. Suspicious, yes, but he couldn't tell exactly what was the cause of the radiating waves of magic.

There could be a lot of magic enhancing materials in there or there were a hell of a lot of shielding spells on the place. Whatever it was, he couldn't tell exactly so while he would tread carefully, he still didn't prefer going at a snail's pace.

But then they came across a small patrol of armed guards that didn't look anything like the port authorities. These guys were more like soldiers than police, he could tell. When you were on L2 during the martial law, you got to pick out the small differences like how people carry themselves or how they walk.

The other four guys were suddenly shooting hand gestures at one another and the blond didn't understand a single fucking thing they were "saying." Next thing he knew, Soldier Boy and Trowa split from them and were gone. After that, there was some kind of scuffle and when Quatre and Wufei came out of cover slightly, he took the opportunity to see just where they were heading.

Imagine his surprise to see every member of that one patrol on the ground, either unconscious or dead. Sure, he had seen dead bodies but not like this nor had he ever seen anyone start moving them and hiding the bodies away like Quatre and Wufei were starting to do. Usually when he saw a dead body, he just left it there but he had never participated in doing the clean up.

Unsure of himself, he decided to stand back and let the four do what they did best all the while keeping his eyes on the lookout in case someone else were to pop up unexpectedly.

It was during this time that something fell off one of the bodies and while Wufei didn't think much of it, Solo caught Quatre paling at the sight of it. Though he kept working, something Solo had to give him props on, he couldn't help but wonder just what that was all about. What was so special about the thing that had fallen off that unconscious guy? Well, he got his answer soon enough as when all the bodies were hidden away, Quatre was right back at the thing and holding it, his clutching onto whatever it was tightly.

His curiosity finally getting the better of him, Solo came up to the smaller blond's side and asked, "What's that thing?" Now that he was closer to it, the thing kinda looked like a badge of some kind.

"This is the sign of the Phantom," Quatre answered in a hushed voice.

"Who?" Solo asked, not getting what the other blond was talking about.

"The Phantom," Quatre said again before explaining further. "He's a high ranking officer in The Collective, one of the seated ones in fact. All I know other than that is that the Phantom is in charge of all assassinations. Kidnapping someone like this isn't his style."

"So what's one of his guys doin' here?" the blond had to ask.

"What does it matter?" Wufei interrupted harshly. "Barton and Yuy have the path clear up ahead. Enough wasting time on meaningless information; get moving!"

Well, that was a bit rude. Still, Solo didn't argue for once and decided to let Quatre wallow in his fear or whatever it was. He had never heard of this "Phantom" before and he didn't care if the guy was the King of France or shit. The guy was Collective and that meant he was going to hand the guy's ass to him on a silver platter, end of discussion.

Minutes ticked by like hours as the five of them slowly made their way to the warehouse, Solo allowing Quatre to tell them all this was it. Looking at Trowa, the guy with the unibang looked like he wanted to barge in there gung-ho and shit. Then again, he supposed, he'd want to do the same thing if it was Duo in there…and why didn't that sound wrong at all? Must be getting soft or something. And he was smart once upon a time too…

Quatre gave the ones who were pilots instructions with his hands and fingers, Soldier Boy and Wufei nodding once before moving out into the darkness. Ah, looks like they were going to have those two come in from behind or something. But what about him? Eh, looked like blondie just wanted him to go in front like he and Trowa were doing, telling by the look he was given.

Well, who was he to disappoint after all?

Quatre nodded at him, as if to say to him "do your stuff" and while it took him a bit to figure that out, once he did he smirked and summoned his shadows to tear the large doors open and let Trowa have his fun. The shadows were eager, as usual, but he frowned when he noticed just how easy the doors opened.

It was as if someone wanted them to come in through the front.

He braced himself for some kind of attack to come in but none was forthcoming. Both Quatre and Trowa were also suspicious despite the latter's aggressiveness. Something wasn't right, but what? Slowly, the three of them crept it, Solo using the shadows to block them from sight.

Nothing. Not a single thing happened. It was starting to creep him out big time. If he didn't know better, he'd think this was some kind of—

"Hannah!" he heard Trowa hiss out next to him and when he looked ahead, he indeed saw Hannah in a small, lighted up part of the building, bound to a chair and her mouth gagged.

You have got to be kidding.

He could tell without looking that Trowa was about to throw himself out in the open to rescue his girl but some movement behind Hannah caught his attention and he held out an arm to keep Trowa from rushing forth. Strangely enough, it was just a guy, one guy who was incredibly pale, tall to boot—hey, wait a minute. Was that that fucking creep Morrigu?

Solo narrowed his eyes as other features about the man became noticeable and he briefly considered lowering his arm to let Trowa have at him.

Despite the distance between them, Solo could feel the pale asshole smirking right at him, a long, coarse hand combing long, delicate fingers into Hannah's hair and pissing off Trowa even more. His dark eyes were twinkling with some kind of gleam to them and the blond didn't like it one bit. He had never liked the guy before, especially since he was trying to get in good with Duo, but right now he knew there was more to this than met the eye.

Finally, Morrigu spoke, "I was beginning to wonder when you were going to arrive. You were getting dangerously close to the deadline, you know."

"We're two hours early," Quatre retorted.

Morrigu only shrugged. "So what? Your two other friends were eager to barge in here."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Trowa barked, his nerves high strung and his trigger finger itchy.

"Why don't you ask them yourself?" Morrigu replied with a smirk, snapping his fingers in a summoning gesture.

To Solo's shock, both Quatre and Trowa were pulled to a side violently but what was so shocking about this was that it was Wufei and Soldier Boy who were the attackers. Heero had Trowa in a tight headlock and was wrestling him down to the ground while Wufei had incapacitated Quatre with a quick kick to his neck. Solo could see in their eyes that they didn't want to do this but that left the blond to wonder what was causing them to attack them.

"They have no instruction to fight you," Morrigu said calmly as he placed himself right in front of Hannah, blocking her from sight. "I wanted to do that myself," he added, pearly white teeth flashing ferally in a sadistic grin.

"You got it," Solo snarled as he blasted a ball of bright light at the pale man.

Morrigu rolled his eyes and formed a small shield around one of his hands, using the shielded hand to swat the ball of light to a side. If Solo was surprised by this, he didn't show it as he was forming a long, thin blade of gold-colored magic out of his finger and lunging himself at the pale man, slashing at him with the spell.

Morrigu's eyes widened at the sight of the spell but he was already moving, parrying the slash with his shielded hand and sliding to a side, his mind running over countless options of spells but not deciding on just which one to pick.

Growling, Solo expanded on the spell, forming three fellow golden blades on the same hand and combining them together to form a slender yet thicker blade. He thrust the blade forth and immediately pierced through Morrigu's miniature shield like it was butter, the man's eyes widening.

With a transparent blast of magic aimed at the floor, Morrigu propelled himself up into the air and launched two silver colored orbs of magic at Solo, two attacks that the blond easily sliced apart. Gesturing his fingers on his unused hand, he summoned up some shadows that didn't act until his tall and pale prey landed on the concrete floor. As soon as the toes of Morrigu's boots touched the floor, tendrils of shadows wrapped around his feet and prevented the man from moving.

Surprised by this, Morrigu whipped his sight downward to gape at the underhanded maneuver, barely coming back to his frame of mind in time to block the next slash Solo struck at him with. With two small shields forming on both of his hands, he clapped the two shields together, catching the blade and holding it still, allowing him to get a good look at the culminated spell.

"This looks familiar," he said loud enough to the blond, his dark eyes studying the blade intensely. "I know I've seen it before…don't tell me you know an Adrian Branwen?"

Solo tensed at the name of Adrian but then redoubled his efforts to try and push his magic blade closer to the pale man. However, it seemed Morrigu picked up on this as he chuckled darkly.

"So it is true he had taken on a student," he mused despite the circumstances. "Well, would it pain you to know that I was the one who killed him?"

This time, Solo did freeze up, his memories of the last moments of Adrian's life echoing in his head. Smirking, Morrigu took the opportunity presented to him to blast the blond away from him by exploding a wave of his power from all over his body. The shadows wrapped around his legs quivered but managed to hold true until he blasted his orbs of silver light into them, dispelling them.

Solo, reeling from the shock of this unexpected revelation but shoving it to a side so that he could concentrate on turning this bastard into a puddle of mush, began summoning a large amount of shadows with the intention of crushing his target. Throwing his arms outwards, he sent the mental command to surround Morrigu and block off every possible exit and then proceed to slowly squeeze the man until he was nothing but a bloody ball of tissue.

Morrigu had a deer in the headlights look on his face and he frantically tried to think of anything that he could use that would save him from what seemed to be a certain death. Then an idea hit him that seemed so outrageous yet logical. He held his hands close together in front of his chest, focusing as much magical power he could between his two hands and creating a large orb of silver light that shown as brightly as he was able to get it to.

The shadows practically shrieked and back off, much to Solo's confusion. Morrigu, meanwhile, felt nothing but relief that soon changed into smug eagerness. It was time to tilt the tables to his favor.

He threw his orb of bright, silver light up into the air, creating several more of these bright orbs and tossing them up towards the ceiling. With each new orb created, Solo's shadows weakened. Now for the piece da la resistance, Morrigu thought to himself as he quietly spoke the title of a spell he liked to use as a parlor trick every now and then.

As if he was blowing out a stream of air, a line of fire shot out from his lips and formed a circle around the two combatants, the light from the flames being the death blow that banished all the shadows in their near vicinity.

It had been a spur of intuition that had given Morrigu this idea and damn he was glad he had thought of it. A common theme when fighting shadows was to expose them to light. The light from his orbs and now the fire had more than leveled the playing field; it had turned the odds over to his favor now.

"Can't take the heat, boy?" he taunted before shooting a blast of magic from his eyes.

Solo ducked and rolled out of the way as fast as he possibly could. The blast passed over him, cutting through the ends of his hair like twin laser beams. He had even stopped fuelling his magic blade and allowed it to disperse and with the shadows no longer at his beck and call, he was nearly defenseless at this point in time.

Not that he couldn't change that at a moment's notice, mind you.

"Funny," Morrigu commented, chuckling as smoke escaped from his mouth and gave him a sinister look, "you're running about like the rat Janus thinks you are."

Even though the situation for him was dire, Solo nonetheless spat back, "What da fuck is that suppose ta mean?"

"You're L2," Morrigu shrugged. "No matter what you do to change yourself, you still bear the markings and scars of one who has lived on the streets. I wouldn't be surprised if Janus decided to kill you just because."

Before the blond could say anything to that, Morrigu was a blur as he spun like a top, arms outstretched with flames spouting out from his fingertips. Solo raised a barrier as the spinning Morrigu rushed at him but instead of just staying in one spot, the spinning blur ricocheted off his shield and headed straight towards the circle of flames that surrounded them. As if the flames themselves were a wall, Morrigu ricocheted off them but was now coming back at Solo at an angle that would allow him to skirt around his barrier.

"Fuck!" Solo swore as he dropped his shield and tried to move out of the way, crying out in pain as fire skimmed against his back, burning through his clothes and searing his skin.

He barely had time to recover as Morrigu was coming right back at him, having done another ricochet off the circle of flames. Solo tried to duck underneath the flames shooting out from the pale man's fingers but still got singed by the tiny bits of flames and the heat emanating from them.

Not wanting to experience that again, he brought out the golden magic blades of his and when Morrigu was in range, sliced at the twirling top of a man. Despite the heat, Solo was surprised to find Morrigu completely gone but wasn't able to give it much thought as his instincts were screaming at him to duck.

It was none too soon either as a slash of magic nearly decapitated him, air rushing around the slash wildly. He threw himself to a side as another identical magical slash shot at him, digging into the concrete and leaving a small trench in its wake as it passed him.

Spinning on his heels, still crouched close to the floor, he struck out with his magic blade, slicing into a third slash that was coming at him and splitting the attack into two pieces, one of them flying out of the ring of fire and the other right into the floor.

"Not bad," Morrigu said, nodding his head in appreciation of the defense, "yet not enough to save you." With that, his mouth fell open as an enormous ball of flames catapulted straight at him. Solo raised a hasty shield up, praying it would hold as he turned his back to the attack and noticing something peculiar.

Right where Morrigu's last slash at struck, he could see water bubbling out from the small hole and an idea hit him—

—just at the same time as Morrigu's enormous ball of fire slammed into his shield.

Heat enveloped him and he found he was straining to keep his flimsy shield up so as to block most of the damage he was going to sustain. It seemed like an eternity had passed as heat seared into his body and the jacket he had chosen to wear this night caught on fire. As soon as the fire passed him, he stumbled forward, throwing off the flaming parts of his outfit and practically collapsing onto the floor.

That had drained him more than he thought but luckily he had fallen right on top of the watery hole in the floor.

From behind him, he heard Morrigu whistle. "Wow, you're still alive. Not bad for a beginner. Let's see if you can handle a second one, eh?"

Pushing his scorched body up, Solo smiled softly to himself as he saw his own body was blocking enough of the light around him so that there was a small amount of shadow. Eyes flickering over to the hole, he sent the bit of shadow straight into it where his strength in the spell multiplied in the water pipes underneath them.

Knowing that the pale bastard behind him was about to unleash his next attack, Solo wasted no time in forcing all the shadows he had control of out of the floor, a huge rush of water flooding out underneath him and through the various faults and cracks that had resulted.

Sound was swallowed up by the rush of water and the coldness of the liquid irritated the burns he had received but he kept himself from gasping out in pain and releasing the air in his lungs. Then as suddenly as the water had burst out into the warehouse, it was all draining away, the pressure diminishing rapidly until the floor was covered in an extremely shallow pool of water.

Nearby, Morrigu pulled himself up unsteadily to his feet, looking like a drowned rat and staring incredulously at the blond. Solo couldn't help but let a laugh escape his mouth, heedless of the fact that the guy trying to kill him was not as damaged as he hoped he would be and more than likely getting ready to kill him from the glare he was now receiving. He could see from the corner of his eyes the other pilots coughing up water and it looked like whatever spell Morrigu had Wufei and Heero under was now broken.

So if he was to die now, he was at least assured that one of them would avenge him almost immediately. Sadly, he would not be seeing Duo at least one last time and for some reason that really depressed him.

"You…" Morrigu hissed at him, looking angrier and more frightening than the blond had ever seen him. "You little…"

Whatever else he was about to say, though, was cut off as the doors to the warehouse were suddenly flung open, a blast of wind flattening all onto the wet floor. Eyes wide, Solo whipped his eyes over to the main entrance and his heart sank at the sight of a well dressed man standing there, small bolts of dark green magical power dancing all around the man, giving a testament to the power he wielded.

Not a second later, Solo found an incredibly powerful binding spell wrapping around him and he hadn't the strength to fight against it. With a twitch of his fingers, the well-dressed man parted the shallow water before him, making a dry path for him to walk on without getting his fancy shoes wet.

Two different colored eyes captivated him as the man smirked down at them.

A deep voice then chuckled out into the silence, "Play time is over."


	31. Make Your Choice

Author's Note: This is perhaps my favorite chapter thus far. If it's not my first, it's definitely up there in the top three. You have all the elements of drama, suspense, and other stuff that I can't name at this point in time. The point is that when this chapter was written, it took a little less than two days. Very fast, especially for the word length. See if y'all can't zero in on some sources that helped to really make this chapter dear to my heart, after the Maxwell Trilogy of course. Don't know about KO, though, but I do know she enjoyed this chapter. So, enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

Make Your Choice

Solo cracked open his eyes and blinked blearily at his surroundings. Whoa, he had just blacked out there for a minute. It seemed a lot had happened in this minute though as he found that his magic was being suppressed and his body was throbbing with pain, a new wave of agony washing over him with every breath he took.

It took him a bit to realize that he was sitting upright, somehow, and further examination revealed to him that he had these dark, thick bindings that seemed to be the source of his magical suppression. And apparently he wasn't the only one tied up either; the other four were leaning against one another, him included, each one bound up in the same dark material and to top it all off, each one looked just as out of it as he did.

Without doing much thinking, he looked around, not really comprehending what was around him but when his eyes landed on two familiar pale figures, his mind locked on them and things came back to him. Right there was Pike who was staring back at them impassively and Solo wasn't sure if he was more surprised that the guy was standing there or that he was still alive.

A bit a ways from Pike stood the other pale asshole, Morrigu, who was giving him a smug smirk that he wanted nothing more than to wipe off that face. If he remembered correctly, he had last seen the other drenched with water; somewhere along the way he had dried off. For a vain guy like him, it fucking figured.

Last, but not least, was the newest player in this who hadn't so much as spared him a look yet was as pleased as the cat who got the canary. The blond didn't know who this guy was but there was something about him that he didn't like, something that put him on high alert.

"Time to wake up," the nameless man commented and suddenly Solo felt a jolt of magic shoot up into him, jumpstarting his nervous system. The man chuckled and closed the distance between them, the end of his brown trenchcoat trailing after him like a cape. He towered over their crouched position and Solo felt a shiver go down his spine at the sheer evil that was radiating off this man.

Quatre sucked in a breath of air. "Not you," he gasped out.

"Yes, me," the man replied effortlessly as he began to pace around them like a predator about to pounce on his prey. "You're looking well, young Winner. I'm a bit…surprised to find you hanging around in a place like this."

"Who are you?" the blond heard Wufei speak up rudely and Solo found himself not begrudging the other's shortness with the man. He wanted to find out who this asshole was too.

The man's different colored eyes drifted over to rest on the Chinaman and his smug smirk seemed to grow wider. "None of your business," he answered succulently. "Pawns like you have no need to know who the King on the board is; they just need to be used until they are sacrificed." His eyes trailed back over to Quatre. "I hope the iron bindings aren't causing you too much discomfort," he said to him. "Had them specially made; double the concentration, reinforced with steel, none of you will be getting out those anytime soon."

Heero snorted at that and Solo had to wonder why for a second but then returned his attention to the man in the trenchcoat. Iron, huh? That explained why his magic was being suppressed.

"Why are you involved in this, Phantom?" Quatre demanded, looking as if he was gaining some fire. "This isn't your kind of work."

Phantom chuckled indulgently at the smaller blond. "Why shouldn't I be involved with this? I am the Sixth Seat of The Collective. It stands to reason that I have a stake in capturing the Death Mage."

"Capturing is not what you're good at," Quatre stated dryly. "You're the head of the assassination division. Is your First Seat getting desperate if he's turning to you?"

"Please, I volunteered for this," Phantom snorted, "and I have more reasons for doing so as well, reasons that your little mind can't comprehend. For now, it is only a matter of time before the Death Mage arrives and we can get this show on the road."

"What are you talking about?" Quatre demanded, now the official spokesperson of the group. "What makes you think our friend is going to be here?"

Phantom grinned back at the blond and Solo began to feel that he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear. "We have some time. I guess I should clue you in to what's going on. You see, my little pawn, I leaked out into the grapevine that I had captured all of you and were holding you in a secure location, here to be more precise."

"Hours ago?" Quatre asked, voicing all of their confusion. "But we weren't even here hours ago."

"I know, that's why I needed to lure you to me," Phantom smirked. "It seems I chose my bait wisely."

It hit Solo then. This guy was doing to them what he had done to Hannah. He had used live bait to lure in his true bait and he was sure that Duo would come to their aid if he heard something like this, wherever he was. It was all a trap, one big fucking trap that they had all fallen for. Their only hope now was that Duo could kick this guy's ass as well as Morrigu's and Pike's. A three-on-one fight wasn't the kind with favorable odds, even if Duo was the Death Mage. Yet, the blond couldn't help but feel there was something else to this, something more.

"So relax," the Phantom continued. "Once you have served your purpose, there will be no need for me to keep you here."

Well fan-fucking-tastic, good for them. He shifted in his bindings and decided to glare at their captors, running over everything through the memory he had that involved some of the stuff Adrian had taught him, stuff that were specifically to be used for causing suffering.

Adrian…that's right, Morrigu, that asshole, killed him! And didn't blondie just say that this Phantom guy was in charge of assassinations? That would mean that The Collective had wanted his teacher dead but for the life of him he couldn't think of what reason they had to kill Adrian. Nonetheless, he needed to kill Morrigu if only to make himself feel better about his teacher's death. First, he needed to get away from all this iron!

The next thing he knew, Phantom was in his face and he didn't like the way the bastard was looking at him. "There's no use squirming your way out of this one, streetrat," he hissed out at him, the hatred rolling out from that voice plowing through all the blond's thoughts and stunning him. "Don't even think about trying to get away. I won't hesitate to kill you unlike these fine gentlemen whom I'll only stun. The world could use having one less streetrat in its midst, especially an L2 streetrat!"

O…kay, what the hell was all that about? Phantom merely smirked at him and shoved him back, nearly toppling him on his back. Jesus, what did this guy have against him?

"Though, why should I wait?" Phantom pondered out loud, much to his internal horror. "It's not like anyone is going to miss you."

"Don't you dare!" he heard Quatre yell out but Phantom was pointedly ignoring him as he raised a hand up with his pointer and middle fingers extended upwards. Small, dark green bolts of magic crackled around the fingers and Solo gulped. He didn't like the power he was feeling coming from that and he didn't like just how close they were to his person.

"Don't you even think about it," a voice hissed, its source unknown. Phantom backed off and looked around, his eyes narrowed, stopping as a figure emerged from the shadows of the warehouse.

Duo had arrived.

* * *

He had felt the magical energy a mile away and had quickly homed in on the place. It wasn't that he knew specifically that this was the place where his friends were being held but the amount of magic radiating off it was extremely suspect.

But he knew better than to charge in through the front entrance. No, he was going to enter the way he always did. And no, he won't say where because that would be telling trade secrets.

So, yeah, he had snuck in, surprised that the shields around the place weren't actively trying to keep him out. Something else to be suspicious of but he decided to focus his attention more on getting in and figuring just what was going on in here.

It didn't take him long to get in and sneak about, the talking voices helping to mask his already silent footsteps. Peeking out from behind some large crates, he discovered to his dismay that the rumor Une had heard had been correct. There were all five of them, Solo and the guys, but what was Hannah doing there, tied up to a chair?

That was soon shoved out of his mind as the man in the business suit held a hand up close to Solo's face, the power of the spell crackling around those fingers felt all the way over where he hid. He didn't have the gist of what they were talking about but he knew with absolute certainty what this man had on his mind.

Like hell he was going to allow it.

"Don't you even think about it," he hissed aloud, allowing a purple aura of magic to radiate from his body in the attempt to scare these people into submission. The man in the business suit looked up at him but there was anything but fear in his eyes as he stood up to his full height, something that Duo noted wasn't really impressive. He was almost as tall as the asshole!

"We meet at last, Death Mage," the man greeted as he mockingly bowed towards him. "I believe it would be pointless to say I've been dying to meet you for some time."

"Like I give a shit," he threw back at the asshole. "Let my friends go and I might not hurt you too much."

A barking laugh was not what he expected to get. Fear, quivering legs, things like that, yes, but not laughter. Definitely not laughter.

"How amusing," the man chuckled as his laughter died off. "You, hurting me, now that's rich! You have no idea who I am, do you?"

"Perhaps you should enlighten me?" he jived back.

"Very well," the man said. "I am Janus Xavien, the Sixth Seat of The Collective, a.k.a. the 'Phantom,' head of the assassin branch and mastermind extraordinaire."

"You have a high opinion of yourself, you know that?" he raised an eyebrow. Who the hell did this guy think he was? The Vice Foreign Minister?

"You're being rude," Xavien pointed out. "Usually when someone tells you their name, you tell them yours."

"I was never one for manners, ass," he retorted, "and I don't give a shit if I'm rude. I'm here for my friends so either you get out of my way or I'm going to wipe the floors with your face."

"Lovely," Xavien said dryly. "If I were you, I wouldn't be making such threats. I have those 'friends' of yours right here and I can do as I please with them, perhaps even kill one of them, before you could get from there to over here. And yes, I've taken into account if you were to use a teleportation spell to do so I would still be able to kill one of them before you could 'wipe the floors' with my face."

"Touch them and die," he hissed, cursing at himself for not taking the time to learn a teleportation spell. Of all times, it had to be now that he found a neat use for it…

"One of them will," Xavien promised as he took a casual step closer to his friends. "But it won't just be one of them at random, of that I can assure you. No, it will be the one that is…closest to your heart."

Duo froze at those words. He had heard a term like that said in a movie once but for the life of him he couldn't recall which one it was at the moment. What he did recall was that nothing good happened when those words were used.

"You're not going to use a spell, not if you want to see morning," he threatened.

"Oh, I won't do that," the man assured him. "No, I'll use a gun." With that, Xavien whipped out a gun from his coat and had the barrel of the weapon pressed up against the temple of Quatre's head, the blond paling slightly at the threat to his life. "So, who will it be?" Xavien asked conversationally. "Is it him?"

Xavien's eyes didn't leave him for a minute and while Duo instantly feared for his friend, the smug man didn't see what he was looking for in his violet eyes.

"Hmm, not him. How about him?" Now the gun was at Trowa's head and Duo heard a squeal of protest from Hannah in the background. Trowa, though, was expressionless and not in the least bit afraid. As long as his fiancée was safe, he would be able to die in peace.

Xavien seemed disappointed at the lack of Duo's response and had moved the gun again, this time against Heero's head and Duo nearly found himself rushing over to tear the man apart.

Xavien's smirk widened, "Looks like we have a possibility, eh?"

"Stop this shit," he hissed, shutting his eyes tightly. He was quivering in suppressed rage and he could feel Death nearby, the entity also getting pissed off. Good to know he at least had someone backing him up here. "Stop it!"

Xavien hummed but didn't say anything as he pulled the gun away from Heero's head and directed it against Solo's. The aura around the braided one flared and now he was positively livid. The next time this bastard moved that gun, he was going to strike, no ifs, ands, or buts about it! Hell, Death was urging him to attack.

"Goddamn it, put that fucking thing away!" he bellowed and he swore that he could hear the warehouse supports straining.

"Why am I not surprised," Xavien said, his smirk a full on wicked grin, "looks like we have a winner." Now with the gun trained solely on Solo's head, the man knew he had all the power right now. He was close, so close to getting what he wanted…

Duo had taken a few steps closer to the group, the might of his magic causing his friends to slightly bow down as the weight pressed down on them.

"Upp, upp, upp," Xavien said warningly. "Don't take another step or say goodbye to your friend here. You wouldn't want to cost him his life…would you?"

No, he wouldn't risk it, not Solo's. Solo had died before and that had been terrible the last time; he didn't want to go through that trauma again. He stayed back, hoping against hope that Xavien wouldn't pull that trigger and bring back the nightmare that had haunted him for nearly a decade.

"He means that much to you, eh?" Xavien commented, his grip on the gun tightening to Duo's dismay. "I guess then he will pay the consequences unless you do as I tell you."

"What do you want?" he asked, fighting to keep the tone of defeat out of his voice.

Xavien smirked. "Turn to face my associate and I will explain it to you," he instructed.

Though his every instinct told him not to do that, he obeyed the command and felt his heart sink a little deeper. Standing right there was Morrigu, the man that he had befriended throughout this whole ordeal. He was an enemy? Could it be that it was him, Duo, who had inadvertently led The Collective straight to them? It wasn't a good feeling by no stretch of the imagination.

The taller and paler man was holding what looked like a cushion on which a glowing piece of paper resided. It looked like a contract of sorts except there were no words but there was a line at the bottom where a signature was supposed to go. What was this?

"What you see there is a contract," Xavien's voice explained, Duo not looking around to face the man.

"There's nothing on it," he stated tonelessly.

"I know," Xavien replied. "What you need to do is sign it and I will not harm any of your friends. Especially I won't harm the…one closest to your heart."

"And what exactly am I signing?" he demanded, not in the mood for games, this time turning his head to glare at the man. "Don't tell me that there isn't a catch to this thing."

"Very well," Xavien said. "That piece of paper there is your agreement to surrender your freedom and will to me. You will willingly become my slave and do as I say until the time that contract should expire."

"Expire?" he muttered to himself. He didn't see anything that said anything about an expiration.

"Better make your choice quickly," Xavien said warningly. "My finger is getting itchy and I don't know if I'll be able to keep myself from pulling the trigger. Hurry up now."

He snapped his head around, first to determine if Xavien was merely playing with him or trying to psyche him out and rush him into a decision. Next, his eyes sought out Solo's and despite the distance between them, he could see those green eyes telling him not to sign. Telling him to let him die. No, he couldn't let that happen, not like this.

"Tick tock, tick tock," Xavien said aloud.

Making his decision, he turned back to Morrigu who was grinning at him, holding in one hand a feather-shaped pen. Snatching it, he put down his John Hancock, grimacing as he wrote out the last letter.

"Yes," Xavien hissed. "Yes."

The glow of the contract intensified and as if the words were being typed out, Duo watched as countless lines of words wrote themselves out on the paper. He could hear Xavien laughing in the background and he felt sick to his stomach. Hell, he even felt the subdued waves from Death.

Suddenly, like a snake, the end of the contract raised up and shot itself at him, wrapping around his neck and solidifying into a jewel encrusted, golden collar. He could hear the sound of a lock clicking and he knew deep inside that it was final.

He could only hope that he made the right choice.

* * *

It was horrible to watch, Solo found, yet he couldn't take his eyes away from Duo signing himself away with the stroke of a weird looking pen. And to add salt into the wound, he saw that evil piece of paper wrap itself around his Kid's neck, showing to all that he had no freedom anymore.

He had never wanted to die so much than he did right there.

"Finally!" he heard Xavien crow as he stepped around him, shoving him as he moved. "The powers of the Death Mage are mine to control at long last."

Duo's head bowed down at last in defeat and Solo felt himself wanting to curl up into a ball and sink into the ground. He continued to watch as Xavien made his way towards the Kid like a serpent, placing his slimy hands on Duo's slumped shoulders and making the blond want nothing more than to tear him apart.

"Don't look so glum," Xavien mock-cooed. "You won't be in my service too long. Once I liberate the marvelous powers of Death from you, I'll be sure to grant your filthy little soul sweet rest in oblivion, you little streetrat!"

Solo couldn't help but wince back at the amount of venom that was in those last three words. What was it with this guy and the hatred he seemed to have for anyone from L2? Hell, how'd he know Duo was from L2 in the first place?

"Now, be a good little streetrat and follow Morrigu and Mr. Verso here," Xavien ordered. "We wouldn't want for any of your friends to…suffer for any resistance you might try to offer. That just wouldn't do at this stage in the game."

For a moment, Solo found himself getting pissed as Morrigu leaned towards Duo's ear and whispered something to him. Whatever it was, there was a slight reddening of Duo's cheeks and the blond didn't like that one bit. If anyone was to make Duo do that, it was him! Not that he was possessive or anything.

Pike Verso, though, was not wasting anytime at all and had come up behind the braided teen and pulled him away from Morrigu, escorting him towards the main entrance with the taller pale man following after with a swagger. All that were left were them, Hannah, and Xavien.

Xavien's eyes flickered over to them and the blond didn't like the look he was giving them. He was up to something, something not good.

"This has been quite the event," the bastard commented as he stepped away from them. "Still, I can't help but think there's something I'm forgetting." Xavien's eyes trailed over them before sighting Hannah and lighting up. "Oh yes, I almost forgot."

With a sure stride, Xavien walked over to where Hannah was, still tied to her chair and on her side due to being left that way after the blond had wrecked the water pipes underneath the place. Grabbing an end of the chair, Xavien pulled the metal piece of furniture upright and settled himself behind her, his eyes now back on the five of them.

In a light yet throaty voice, Xavien said, "I have no further use for you, my dear. You're off the hook." Then louder, he continued, "By the way, don't you all think that this little lady is such a marvelous little actress?"

"What do you mean?" Quatre croaked out when it seemed like none of them were going to pipe up. Then again, they had more than likely figured out just what the asshole was telling them but were grasping onto the last threads of denial that they could.

"I mean your little flower here has been working for me all along," Xavien explained with a chuckled, amused by the pleading look Hannah was giving him as well as the one of betrayal that Trowa had on. "How do you think I've been able to track you since you first left Sanc? She's been telling me where you were and what you were up to since I was put in charge of capturing that streetrat with Death's powers. I have to admit, hiding out in a tropical paradise was a stroke of genius; I'll have to remember to do that."

"You're lying!" Trowa blurted out and Solo felt for the guy. Really, he did. Trowa's whole world was being torn apart, the person who was his fiancée, a person he was suppose to trust, was actually an agent of the enemy.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not," Xavien shrugged. "But then again you were the one that said it was bad enough for her to know who that streetrat is."

Okay, the blond had no idea what that meant but it had to mean something. Both Trowa and Wufei were staring at the asshole in shock.

Strolling away from the bound Hannah, Xavien stepped up to a random crate and with a spark of magic, blew open the front of the wooden container. Within it was some strange looking gizmo which Xavien crouched next to and flicked a switch on it. Numbers appeared on a screen and began to count down, starting from 10:00 and going to 9:59.

"What is this Phantom?" Quatre demanded. "I thought you said you weren't going to kill us."

"I'm not," Xavien said innocently. "That's what the bomb is for. Not like the streetrat will know until we're up in the air of course but right now it's too late for it to do anything. I'd bid you _adieu_ but I do not think we'll ever see each other again so have a nice life. What ever is left of it."

The man laughed at his own joke and exited the warehouse, the doors shutting behind him with a finality to it.

"About time," Heero muttered audibly as he began shifting and squirming in his bindings.

Solo raised an eyebrow at the other, wondering if perhaps his so called rival had lost it. Not that this wasn't a good time to lose it anyway; they had about less than nine minutes before they were blown into itty-bitty pieces. With the way he was feeling right now, he was on the verge of not caring whether he lived or died.

Seeing Duo like that, defeated and hopeless, could put anyone into a depressed mood.

There was a creaking and groaning next to the blond and he frowned, turning his head and noticing that the sounds were coming from Heero. The other pilots didn't seem to be all too concerned about it and Solo could only wonder what was going on.

Then to his shock, the reinforced iron bindings holding Heero began to strain before snapping and falling off the pilot. Stiffly, Heero got up to his feet and rushed over to examine the bomb, the other pilots all impassive as if all this didn't surprise them.

What the fuck was going on? How the hell did that guy _do_ that?

"What is it, Yuy?" Wufei barked out, jostling the blond's nerves even further.

By then, Heero had pried a panel off the side of the bomb and was scanning through all the wires within. "This will take some time," he reported.

"Do you have enough?" Wufei demanded.

A quick look up at the timer and Heero replied, "Maybe."

"Heero, just free us first," Quatre suddenly ordered, his voice strong and a complete opposite to the defeated tone from earlier. What the hell were these guys, bipolar?

"Negative," Heero stated, his fingers nimbly working into the wires.

"Heero, listen to me," Quatre demanded. "You don't have the tools to defuse it. Release me or Solo and we'll get rid of the bomb. Hurry!"

Heero shot a glare at the blond but nevertheless left off from whatever he was doing to approach Quatre, crouching down and placing his hands on the iron bindings. Solo saw Soldier Boy's face pinken slightly as he strained himself but Solo wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it; the iron around Quatre ripped apart and Heero had only done that with his bare hands!

Huh, no wonder he broke his ribs all the time.

Quatre quickly distanced himself from all the iron, all the while chanting to himself. A golden glow enveloped the blond and then transferred itself to the bomb and in an instant both the glow and the bomb were gone.

By now, Soldier Boy was busy working on the others and Solo knew the ass was going to save him for last. The quicker he got around to doing so, the better. He didn't know how much longer he could stand to be around all this iron!

Trowa was the first to be freed but he didn't stay sitting down. Instead, he was up on his feet and power walking towards Hannah who was looking anywhere but at him, tears staining her cheeks. Trowa stood before her, not moving or even showing a shred of emotion, something that spooked the blond out a bit though the others weren't saying anything about it.

Finally, Trowa asked the question that had been on most of their minds. "Why?"

Hannah refused to look at him, a sob escaping her lips.

"Tell me," Trowa demanded, a hint of anger in his voice. "Why?"

"He…h-h-h-e-e told m-m-me that he w-w-woul-l-ld hurt you," she sniffed, finally looking up into her fiancé's face. "H-h-he s-s-s-s-said that he would…" she swallowed, "th-th-that he would kill you i-i-if I didn't do what he said. I-I-I owe him, owe him so much, from stuff before I met you. I had n-n-n-no choice!"

Trowa remained silent for a moment before pulling out a gun. Solo's eyes widened, not believing what the guy was about to do and there was nothing he could do, as Soldier Boy hadn't freed him yet! There was a loud bang; a gunshot fired into the air and then all was silent.

"We all have a choice," Trowa stated bluntly, turning away from her.

Hannah looked up at him, eyes wide, the chains wrapped around her loosening and falling off. Tears continued to pour from her eyes but Trowa was not moved by them.

"Go back to our old safehouse," he told her, his voice cold. "Don't do anything until one of us shows up. Don't talk to anyone, don't do anything."

"T-Tr-Trowa," Hannah gasped out.

"GO!" Trowa practically roared, refusing to look at her.

There was a shrill squeak and those not concerned or a part of the drama unfolding snapped their attention towards the doors where they found to their dismay a large group of people, all of them wearing brown robes with their hood raised, blocking their faces from view.

Oh great, what the hell was all this?

One of the brown robed men stepped forth and asked in a booming voice, "Are you the Gundam pilots?"

"You want to know, why?" Quatre snapped, his body once again beginning to be enveloped in a golden glow.

"We are friends," the hooded man said, taking a submissive posture. "We have come here on the heels of a certain braided Death Mage. Would any of you happen to have seen him?"

And now things were getting weird.


	32. Questionable Locations

Author's Note: Not too much going on in this chapter. What else can be said? Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

Questionable Locations

He couldn't believe it, he just couldn't.

Tightening his crossed arms, Wufei turned away from the cultist that had arrived and taken them to their underground city. This was all Maxwell needed, another boost to his ego. If it got any bigger, they'd have a new Planet Earth at the least!

But what was more surprising than discovering a cult dedicated to the worship of his brother-in-arms was the fact that Director Une was a member of it. For the moment, he was going to ignore that fact in preference to finding out what their next move was going to be.

According to the leader of this cult, Reichert, one of the members had placed a tracking spell on Maxwell some time ago, the very same spell they had used to track the braided menace down at the Coliseum and abduct him. They hadn't taken the news of Maxwell selling himself to a high ranking member of The Collective well but he had to give them credit for getting down to business and figuring out just how they were going to get him back.

The fact that these people had more knowledge on what Maxwell was than Winner, though, was another surprise and seeing them criticizing Winner for his "below par" training of Maxwell had been a small window of amusement for him. He was still new to this magic stuff despite being embroiled with it the past two weeks or so and seeing someone being placed in the position he had been in this whole time assuaged his wounded pride somewhat.

Thus far he was utterly clueless and feeling left out. Now Winner was here to share the table with him and Barton and Yuy. As they say, misery loves company.

That and getting to see Deborah Winner getting a verbal lashing for her arrogance was also a consolation prize.

Still, he could care less about all this cultist mumbo jumbo and wanted to get down to the nitty gritty, that is saving the wayward Maxwell from the mess he had gotten himself into.

Currently, he was standing a ways from a table covered in maps where Reichert, Une, a young man named Ansinio, and Winner were pouring over with intensity. Apparently, it was Ansinio who put the spell on Maxwell so he would be needed to try and pinpoint a general location as to where Xavien had hidden him.

The technicalities of the magic involved went over his head so he didn't bother paying much attention to that.

From what he got, Une was there to figure out just what they needed to get once a location was devised and Winner and Reichert were almost competing with one another, racking their memories for any and all locations that would be attractive to a high ranking Collective member that also had a history with magic. Thus far most of Western Europe had been covered, as well as all of Italy, and nothing had cropped up yet.

He was itchy; he wanted to go into combat and deliver some justice upon these fools who dared to trouble his small world. He usually reserved such anger for Maxwell or whatever rebel-group-of-the-week that happened to land themselves on the Preventers' radar.

What was different here was that The Collective was a faceless mass, one large and old enemy with whom he could not put a face to. Only the minions had been combated with and they were hardly important enough to be seen as its "face." Xavien was a close candidate but ultimately he amounted to nothing more but a cog. So even if they did defeat this man and deal onto him justice, the fight would be far from over.

But he was more than ready to engage in a long-term fight; after all he had participated in a war. Patience was key to victory here but The Collective was also patient, as they had been for who knew how long. They had more than likely had more than enough time to have everything that needed ready for when they got Duo so time was most likely not on their side.

It was a paradox; they needed to wait in order not to make a mistake yet they also needed to strike as soon as possible to prevent something that has been in the making for thousands of years. It was mildly frustrating to say the least.

But he would remain right where he was, waiting for when a plan of action was made.

He refused to stay in the dark any longer.

* * *

Being in an underground city should have been amazing yet for Solo, it did nothing to raise his spirits or divert his attention away from the feeling of depression he was suffering under.

Once again he had lost his friend, his Kid, and it wasn't Death who was the one responsible this time. Whereas he had been willing to leave the first time, it was Duo's turn to leave him behind. Was this how he felt all those years ago?

He wanted to destroy something, throw a temper tantrum like the kind Duo used to do before he was broken in by the harshness of the streets. Something, anything, as long as he could find an outlet for all the conflicting emotions welling up inside of him. Even though that was what he wanted to do, he just…couldn't gather to physical energy needed to get up off his ass and do it.

So he fiddled with a small piece of ages old concrete, a little something he had found close to the building that he was now laying against, and just staring out into the space in front of him, thinking deep and shallow thoughts, all of which retreated into his subconscious in no time thus leaving him with no clue as to what was in his own head.

Wasn't it funny that he had this power, this magic that he had spent so many torturous years learning, and yet he was utterly powerless when it truly mattered? When a stand had been needed to be made, when he could have at least provoked that rat bastard Xavien or Phantom or whatever the hell he called himself into killing him and ending the stalemate, he hadn't done a fucking thing but sit there.

Trying to communicate with someone by just using your eyes was a load of bullshit. He should have used his mouth for once instead of staying fucking silent.

He had never seen Duo look so defeated before and he never wanted to see that look again. It didn't belong there, not on the face of the street urchin he saved from the streets, whose brashness and utter disregard for his own life was practically a legend, whose stubbornness was so irritating yet enduring at the same time as well as that devil-may-care attitude that had morphed into a façade that he couldn't stop hiding behind.

But something that kept echoing in his head was that one phrase Xavien had used: the one closest to your heart. Adrian had said the same thing on his deathbed and now it was being used by the enemy as well. What was it with that phrase popping up anyway? First two years ago and now just last night? Was there some meaning to it, other than the obvious, that was eluding him?

And speaking of Adrian, why was it that he was killed in the first place? That asshole Morrigu admitted to doing it but if Xavien was in charge of all the assassins, then why would he want Adrian dead in the first place? It was all so confusing and his head almost hurt from all the thinking but whenever he tried to change his train of thought, he'd fall back to the default of thinking about Duo.

Sigh, it was just so frustrating.

He let his head flopped back against the ancient building, wincing from the jab of pain that resulted from such a stupid move. Turning his head slightly, he nearly let out an unmanly squeak as he discovered Trowa leaning up against the wall right beside him. He hadn't heard him walk up! What the hell?

"Surprise you?" Trowa commented, looking straight ahead.

Solo narrowed his eyes at that; for some reason the guy so much more dispassionate than ever. Whatever emotions he had had when they had first met were suddenly gone, as if they had never been there. It was creepy.

"Sneak on me 'gain and I'll forget you're not on my 'ta-kill' list," he grumbled. Frowning up at the other, he said bluntly, "What's up with you?"

"How do you mean?" Trowa asked pleasantly though there was no warmth in his voice.

"Forget it," Solo huffed looking away from the pilot, not in the mood to be playing word games. Trying to get Duo out of his shell was tough enough; he didn't feel like playing that same game with somebody else.

"Something wrong?" Trowa inquired, raising an eyebrow yet not looking at the blond. Okay, this was really getting weird.

"I'll tell if you tell," he replied, staring straight ahead. When Trowa remained silent, he kinda figured that this was the way it was going. You didn't need to be a mindreader to figure that one out.

"You boys aren't thinking about getting into cutting, are you?"

Holy fuck! Solo snapped his head to the other side to see one of those head ladies right there. What the hell was it with people sneaking up on him now? He swore, the next person who did that was going to be ripped to shreds by his shadows, no exceptions!

When neither of them answered, the lady continued, "Never really understood why that became popular in the first place but at least it's rarer now. You'd need to be half out of your mind to even consider trying it in the first place and why teenagers seem flippant about it, I'll never know."

"Lady, have you been smokin' something?" Solo's voice cracked, too stunned to say anything else.

"I wish," the lady snorted. "I could probably then pass this all off as a bad trip. Sadly, I'm one hundred percent sober and this nightmare is still in our laps."

"You're not what you seem, are you Ann?" Trowa spoke up though he sounded like he was making a statement rather than a question.

"What's the point in using flowery language?" Ann shrugged. "No matter how you paint the picture, you can't cover up the fact that the one thing we've fought to prevent happening has happened."

Solo frowned at that and looked away from the lady. "Ya sound like it's da end of da world," he said bitterly.

"Not to be pessimistic but it is on that level," Ann replied. "For millennia, The Collective has failed to get its hands on the Death Mage and now all that fighting has become naught. And of all people to capture him, it had to be the Phantom."

Ah, now here was something that piqued his interest; a topic that had been bugging him for a bit. "Can ya tell just who this Xavien guy is?" he demanded. "Why's he so big and bad?"

"I can't tell you much about him," Ann sighed. "He's not called the Phantom for nothing; he sticks to the shadows most of the time and makes sure that few know who he is, even in the magical community."

"But he knows who to send out and where to find the people he needs ta kill?" Solo said bitterly. "All I've heard about this asshole is that he's in charge of killing people and that's it. Why does that make any difference at all? He's just another asshole chasin' after Duo and for what? Ta get a hold of his powers?"

"It's more than that," Ann replied. "The person who controls the Death Mage has control over Death itself."

"Then why did he say that Duo's powers were his?" Trowa suddenly spoke up, his brow creasing, showing something other than dispassion.

"Excuse me?" Ann asked.

"When Duo agreed to his demands, he said that Duo's powers were his," Trowa said. "If The Collective is a group, then why didn't he say 'us' or indicate that Duo belonged to more than one person?"

"And that matters, how?" Solo asked dryly.

"I don't know, but it is curious," Trowa said, looking thoughtful.

Shaking his head, the blond grumbled, "Great, another straight answer. Thanks _a lot_. So not only are we lookin' for some asshole that nobody has a clue about, we're also thinkin' about the words he used? Is it me or am I missing something here like how completely incompetent we seem?"

"In the war, it was less thinking and more of finding a target and destroying it in its totality," Trowa said, not giving a shrug, as if he was unrepentant. "It wasn't until the end that we began to think about what we were doing and what we could do to put an end to it all. Such is the course of a lot of things, I've found."

"Now you're sounding like Rolf, only more serious," Ann chuckled. "You need to learn to lighten up; if you take life too seriously, well, it'll kill you."

"It does that anyway," Trowa replied, a bit of his humor seemingly returning though Solo noticed that the other seemed to realize this and quash it down. "Life's not fair," he stated, "it's never been fair and never will be fair. To think otherwise is delusional."

"It sounds like you've had a lot on your plate," Ann commented, looking at Trowa with a contemplating look. "In fact, you sound a lot like someone I haven't seen in a long time. He was always saying things like that as well as wondering why the hell I was standing in his way when I was protecting the person he was supposed to kill."

"A Collective assassin, perhaps?" Trowa asked.

"Indeed," Ann agreed.

"His name?" Solo asked, getting into this. Hey, it was a cheap way to get his mind off other things he rather not think about right now.

"I doubt you've heard of him," Ann shrugged, "but if you really want to know, his name was Adrian. Adrian Branwen."

Solo froze at that name. No, it couldn't be. He had heard the last name only once and that was by that asshole Morrigu. He knew he didn't know a lot about Adrian but geez. He had to know more, had to ask what else this woman knew about the man who taught him everything about magic.

Licking his dried lips, he hesitantly asked, voice cracking, "What did he look like?"

Ann gave him a look, as if wondering why he wanted to know something so useless but answered him anyway. "I remember he had blond hair," she mused, "and I have to admit, his body wasn't too bad to look at either. What stood out most, though, were his eyes. They were slanted, not like someone of oriental descent but more like, I don't know, fey? Elfish?"

With each description, his heart sunk even further. He began to unconsciously ignore whatever else was said; he already knew what he looked like and when she got on to his personality (without him even asking!), he knew with certainty that the Adrian she spoke of was the same as his Adrian.

Once she had stopped blabbering and some time had passed, he spoke up hesitantly again. "I knew him."

He didn't bother looking at Ann but he figured what kind of look she was giving him. Surprise, disbelief maybe, whatever, he didn't care.

"How…how did you know him?" Ann asked finally, suggesting to the blond that there might have been more going on between this lady and his teacher.

"He saved my life," he stated dully. "I was dead, or really close to it, and he brought me back. Then I got him to teach me magic."

"That doesn't sound like something he would do…" the lady muttered under her breath.

Solo just snorted. "Don't I know that; he always told me I was his first student and that he didn't know how ta teach anybody what he knew. Kinda amazin' that I got as far as I did but I don't regret a fuckin' day of it."

"Do you know where he may be?" Ann suddenly demanded.

"He's dead," the blond sighed. "Fuckin' died in front of me and disintegrated. Told me that I needed ta beware The Collective and protect da one…closest ta my heart. I still don't understand why he said that last bit and for a bit, I thought he was talkin' 'bout Duo. Now, I have no idea anymore; it's all gone ta shit."

"Xavien said something like that," Trowa spoke up. "Remember? He told Duo he would only hurt the one closest to his heart. I don't think it's a coincidence that your teacher said the same phrase, do you?"

"That would mean he knew Duo was da fuckin' Death Mage," Solo spat. "How'd he figure that out, huh? Right now, I don't even know who da fuck Adrian is anymore."

"Let's just say he was one of the best assassins The Collective had," Ann stated, looking strained. "The last I ever heard of him, he had stolen some money from them and left Dodge. The Collective had been looking for him ever since."

"And found him," Solo said bitterly. "That asshole Morrigu told me he was da one ta kill him. Adrian could kick my ass; how'd the hell that asshole beat him?"

"There are tales about the Phantom's Vampire," Ann said slowly. "There's a reason why he's supposedly the Phantom's right hand man and the fact that he's powerful is only the tip of it. It's been said that he can take over a person's mind by having them look into his eyes."

"Sounds like what Wufei told me," Trowa said. "This Morrigu ambushed them and got them to look in his eyes. That would explain why they later attacked us."

"And there are only a rare few that are immune to that spell," Ann added. "To be honest, none of us here have been able to figure out just what renders it useless. Sure, there's the obvious of not looking in his eyes but you have to keep him in view at all time or he'll strike you down with one of his spells. It's frustrating."

"Sounds like you've had some experience," Trowa commented.

"A lot of us have," Ann replied. "Though, not all of us have survived it one hundred percent of the time."

"Barton! Solo!" Wufei's voice suddenly snapped out, catching the trio's attention. There stood Wufei who was regarding them coolly. "The others believe they have pinpointed where Xavien took Maxwell. It would be best if we were there to listen to what their plan of action will be."

Trowa merely raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Solo only nodded and he pushed himself up to his feet. As much as he liked sitting around, talking about how bad the odds were against them, it was really starting to cramp his style. Alright, time to get up and do something!

* * *

"We're fairly certain that he's close to the Adriatic Sea," Quatre said, his finger circling around the blue body of water just east of the Italian Peninsula. "The problem is that we're having trouble figuring out just where in the area Duo's being held. We know for sure that he's not in Italy but that still just leaves Croatia, Montenegro, and Albania left to choose from."

"I still say it's somewhere on the Croatian coast," Reichert argued. "Montenegro is too large of a tourist attraction and Albania too close to the Mediterranean."

Solo just blinked at this. Okay, they narrowed it down to one general area in the world but it was still a large enough space for someone to hide easily in. Not only that, the guys who were in charge of the "strategy" were arguing where the most likely place Duo was being held.

Of course, he had no clue as to where exactly that Xavien bastard would take Duo so he was keeping his mouth shut and letting everybody else do the talking, kinda like Soldier Boy except for the glare.

And by telling how the young guy, what's his face, the one who put that tracking spell on Duo, was shaking his head whenever someone tried to say something about a location, he had a feeling that they were almost looking at the wrong space.

Wufei over there looked like he was about to blow a gasket or something; looked like he was thinking they were on the verge of getting into some action or something. Pshaw, like they were just going to jump into a highly dangerous situation with a high chance of getting themselves killed.

Then again, from what Duo told him about the wars that sounded close to what these guys typically did.

Still, the voices continued to argue and Solo blocked them out, not in the mood to listen any further. He figured that eventually someone would either take over or put out a good idea that the rest would follow. Of course, that would take time and that wasn't what they had much of in the first place.

Eventually, though, that scary lady, Une, stepped up and took control, using that cold voice of hers that sent shivers down everybody's spines and commanded all attention towards her. He felt himself standing up straighter and not slouching at the sound of her voice and he had no idea why. Maybe it was because he didn't want her attention on him or something?

"Now that I have your attention," the Une lady said dryly, "perhaps we can hold this in a more orderly manner. Now, we're all in agreement that Duo is somewhere east of here, correct?"

There were some grudging nods from Reichert and Quatre and the two ladies Ann and Margaret seemed pleased by their fellow woman's seizing of control.

"Now, Reichert, you argue for Duo being in Croatia, why?"

"Besides the fact that it covers most of the eastern coast?" Reichert spat out acidly, glaring at Quatre, "Well there are a few sites there that have some historical significance in the magic community. Castles, sites of history changing events."

"All of which are popular tourist attractions," Quatre scoffed, pausing at seeing a few dubious faces from the other pilots before adding, "for those magically inclined."

"And nothing of any importance occurred or was built on the Montenegro coast," Rolf put in. "I would know, I've been around for a lot of them."

Solo raised an eyebrow at that. What was this guy? Older than dirt?

"Alright," Une nodded, "and what about Albania?"

"Same as Montenegro," Reichert said.

"Actually, more like a couple things were built there," Rolf admitted, shrugging. "Structures and junk."

"And that's why I don't think we should rule it out," Quatre argued, looking heatedly at Reichert. "We need to be thinking like how the Phantom thinks. What kinds of places are there that he might try to hide in?"

Before another argument between the blond and the leader of Death's Hand could go at it again, Une turned to Ansinio who had been quiet the entire time. "How about you, Ansinio? What are your thoughts?" she asked.

"I think Mr. Winner might be on to something," Ansinio said, shrugging. "I just have this feeling that says he might be in the coastal region of that area."

"Alright," Une nodded, "and can anyone think of anything that might have been built or made there and where it might have happened that would attract someone like Xavien?"

Most of them turned towards Rolf who looked completely helpless. It was obvious the guy was trying to think of anything that might be of help but was failing miserably.

That's when Solo had an idea. Turning to Ann, he said out loud to her, "Hey, Ann, ya think Adrian might have let something slip once?"

The lady looked at him and said, "I don't think so. He wasn't the type to just blurt out anything…although I think I heard him mention once 'Anthovar.'"

"That sounds familiar," Rolf muttered before his eyes lit up. "Oh yes, Anthovar! That was the place with Mad Old Hamen! Crazy fella wanted to build a moving castle or something. But that was centuries ago!"

"And where exactly is this Anthovar?" Une asked patiently.

"Don't know, wasn't really interested in it," the old man shrugged. "I did hear once that it was on a cliff or close to one but I can't be too sure about that."

"How about a general area?" Reichert demanded.

Unnoticed, Heero was on a computer and typing rapidly. Only Trowa and Wufei seemed to know what he was up to and Solo didn't really give a shit what Soldier Boy was up to.

But Une apparently did as she turned to Soldier Boy and asked, "Heero? Anything?"

"Negative," was the one word response.

This time it was Quatre who raised an eyebrow. "Do you really think it would be found on the Internet? Why don't we just use a scrying spell and locate it that way? It's not like it is a living being."

"Care to do the honors?" Reichert asked dryly and while Solo thought he was talking to blondie, it turned out that he was speaking to that other lady, Margaret.

Margaret approached the table covered in maps and carefully moved them so that one of the Adriatic Sea was all by itself, taking out a small, diamond shaped crystal and holding it over the map. Meaningless mumbo jumbo fell out of her mouth as her eyes became nothing but white orbs and Solo had to admit he was a bit impressed. Then again, Adrian had never taken the time to teach him how to scry so he couldn't be truly at fault for that.

Minutes dragged on as Soldier Boy kept typing on his computer and Margaret was no closer to finding where they needed to go. Solo felt himself getting antsy, wanting nothing more than to shake the old bat and yell at her to hurry up.

Just when it seemed like the minutes were becoming hours, Margaret suddenly shouted and pulled away from the map. "There it is!" she cried out, one of her fingers jabbing down on a point on the map, digging into the parchment. "No doubt about it! There was something trying to block me for a bit but I am positive! Right there!"

"Ansinio?" Une asked, looking questioningly at the young man. The Italian moved to take Margaret's place and began chanting quietly to himself. A moment away he came back and nodded.

"I felt something around there," he said, "but there also was something trying to mess my magic up. Something interfering for some reason."

The blond got a closer look and almost smiled to himself; it was Southern Albania, close to the Vjosë River but in the area north of the city of Vlorë. There was a lake in the area that the map claimed to be called Narta but Solo didn't care much about that as much as he was pleased of a location.

"So what do we do?" Trowa spoke up. "How are we going to do this? Even if Xavien doesn't expect us to figure out where he is, he'll still have some kind of defense up. It won't be easy."

"Which is why'll we have a distraction," Une replied. "I have just the thing for it to."

Seeing that smile on Une's face made the blond suddenly yearn for the nearest toilet.


	33. Surrender and Lost Hope

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

Surrender and Lost Hope

He hadn't been allowed to see where they were going but with the way he was feeling now, Duo found that he could have cared less. Then again, how else would you feel if you sold your freedom, the one thing that he hadn't given up willingly, and allowed yourself to become a mere slave to the whim of a megalomaniac?

Yeah, that's what he thought.

For the moment though, at least he had Pike Verso there to inadvertently ward off Morrigu, the pale bastard who seemed to have a limitless libido. Ever since they got on the plane, Morrigu had been nothing but lewd; the only thing he hadn't done yet was actually physically molest him. He had a feeling though that that wouldn't last too long.

He had no idea how much time had passed since he signed that Goddamn contract but he was beyond caring when he finally got his first eyeful when the blindfold was removed from his face. It took some time for his eyes to adjust but the first thing he saw was a towering castle, the dark stone standing out against the clear, blue, night sky.

A large forest surrounded the manmade fortress and the scent of salt could be smelled, telling the braided man that the ocean or a large body of salt water was nearby. The castle itself had many towers of varying height and in the middle of it a large structure that resembled a chapel. There were other flat and square protrusion here and there and it was all surrounded by a thick- looking, tall wall.

If he squinted his eyes just so, he could see the outlines of large gun turrets on both the walls and the towers. Whatever this place was, it was certainly well-armed and well-defended. Yet it told him nothing of where they were.

"Welcome to your new home, streetrat," Xavien said. "It'll be the last place you'll ever live. Come on."

The collar around his neck began to emit an exorbitant amount of heat and he began shuffling along after his new bastard of a master. He clenched his teeth tightly as he felt someone, most likely Morrigu, slap him on the ass. If only he could retaliate but he had a sneaky suspicion that the collar would have prevented that somehow.

Then again, that would be his luck anyway.

Deep within the depths of Xavien's sanctum, he was led towards a cell-like room that had barely the essentials. A cot for a bed and a bucket for…yeah, let's not go there. All in all, he had been in worse prisons before.

"Enjoy the accommodations," Xavien said, smirking like the bastard he was. "You'll be earning them real soon." And with the slamming of the thick door, Duo was all alone without even a light, trapped in darkness. Sure there was light peeking in through the crack under the door and his instincts were telling him to go pick the lock and get the hell out of this place but the Goddamn collar was preventing him from doing anything against Xavien's will.

Hell, the asshole didn't even need to lock the door; the collar would ensure he did nothing to even attempt escaping. He was going to be stuck here for a long, long time.

A long, long time with nothing to do too. Well, shit.

Well now what the hell was he suppose to do?

He was all alone with nothing but himself and his thoughts. Sigh, this was just great wasn't it? What was he suppose to do, contemplate the mysteries of life? He could probably get all the answers about life from Death but his new, or old depending on how you looked at it, friend was conspicuously silent.

Did he mention that he was all alone and in the dark?

Well maybe not for long at least since he could hear some activity in the general location of the door before it was open and a stream of light nearly blinded him. Aw, fuck! Fuck! Damn it, were they trying to blind him or something? Jesus!

Shielding his eyes from the intrusive light, he glare at the two figures that had dared to enter his dark closet of a cell but what he saw was very…unexpected. There were obvious differences between the two as one was incredibly tall while the other was much smaller, probably even smaller than him!

The smaller of the two was definitely younger than the taller one and the small glasses that were perched on his nose only served to make him look adorable. Hell, he was confident enough in his own masculinity to actually say it out loud though he wasn't in the mood to do so. He did notice, though that the smaller one held what looked like a dish in his hands and he nearly snorted as that must be some kind of "meal" that Xavien had so generously sent him.

As for the taller of the two, it looked like he had been out in the sun a lot as his skin was a dark tan, almost like a surfer's. His face was sharp and that took away the laidback slacker look that had originally been implanted in his head, two stone gray eyes boring into him and more than likely looking deep into his soul. It was not a comfortable feeling but by God he wasn't going to be the first to look away.

He was just that stubborn.

"What do you want?" he drawled out.

The smaller male squeaked and jostled the dish in his hands. "Sorry…" he mumbled. "The…um…the m-m-master of the c-c-c-castle told us to f-f-feed you something and…"

"He told you to bring me some slop to nourish myself so I don't starve?" he asked dryly, spooking the smaller boy-man.

"Henri, just give it to him so we can go," the taller, tanned man said, rolling his eyes. It was obvious he didn't want to be here. "The sooner, the better."

"Aren't you a happy camper?" he jeered back.

"Hey, I'm just here in case you try to hurt my friend," the tan man defended. "Just because the Phantom has you under his control doesn't mean that you won't stoop to hurting one of us who work here."

"Smart, ain't ya?" he replied. "I'm guessing that little Henri here is a bit skittish, huh?"

"He knows my name!" Henri squeaked, almost dropping the dish this time.

"Careful!" the tan man admonished as pried the dish away from the smaller man. Leaning down enough to lay the dish on the floor, he slid it towards Duo as if he didn't want to get near him and began to pull Henri out of the room. "Bon appetite," he drawled out as he shut the door behind them, leaving Duo deep in the darkness once again.

He merely snorted again and let himself flopped back onto his piss poor excuse for a cot, ignoring the meal given to him. He bet that it was going to taste nasty or something, as all prison food did, so he wasn't going to subject his taste buds to that kind of torture any time soon.

What was that prick's problem with him anyway? He barely met the guy for a minute and he was already being rude? This was why he didn't like opening up to people; you didn't know who were the pricks, who were the assholes, and who were actually the good guys. That and the fact that those he did get close to had a bad habit of dying. Either way, none of it was good.

In fact, the last person he had tried to get close to had been Hilde. He never in a million years would have thought the young OZ soldier who had once pointed a gun in his face could have been someone he found he could spend the rest of his life with. No really, there had been something about her that had attracted him at one point.

However, that hadn't really occurred until after he had escaped the Lunar Base with his new Gundam and he had met back up with her after some curious set of circumstances. It was weird how easy it was for them to join forces and wage a guerilla war against OZ and even now he hadn't figured it out what it was that led them to work together.

Maybe it was because she was one of the guys or he saw a bit of himself in her from the way she would sometimes do things impulsively, like sneaking into the Battleship Libra and stealing the configurations of the battlestation's main cannon. To be honest, that would have been something he would have done had he been the same person he had been at the beginning of the wars.

Whatever it was that he saw in her, he liked it enough to try and show her just what was beneath his mask. But, as was habit, as soon as he gave her a glimpse, he would hide back behind it as soon as he took it off. Sure she would look at him with an odd look, as if not understanding him, but nevertheless shrugged it off and stayed by his side.

Of course, those looks he could forgive as experience separated them, especially since she really began to understand where he was coming from after getting shot and nearly bleeding to death. She hadn't deserved to die in the way she had, not all alone in the middle of L2.

If anyone could have understood him, the real him, perhaps it would have been her. In fact, no one had ever seen the real him since his time at the Maxwell Church before the massacre. And yes, Solo was also trying to burrow his way through but really he had spent too long behind the mask to show anybody what was beneath.

He had begun to even lose himself in the illusion he presented to others, an illusion not made from magic but from words and actions.

Trapped in this dark cell, with not even the comfort of seeing his hand in front of his face, he began to despair…

It was him! It was the Death Mage! This was not good, really not good! He had to get the word out to the Winners, tell them exactly where they were so they could come and get the Death Mage out of here.

The problem, though, was that the Phantom kept this place silent; no spells or transmissions could be sent and any that were would automatically be picked up.

It'd be easier to commit suicide.

He didn't know what he was to do but he did have patience; he knew how to wait. When an opportunity presented itself, he'd spring the Mage free and smuggle him out of the castle but until then, he had to wait until opportunity presented itself.

With what the Phantom was planning, though, he prayed that that opportunity would come quickly.

At long last, it had finally happened. The Death Mage was in his hands now and things were progressing smoothly. His enemies had no idea where to find him and those that could stop him had no clue what he was up to. It was only a matter of time now before he had everything and then he could move on to the next phase of his plans to satisfy his ambitions.

All in all, Xavien felt as if he was on top of the world. Sure, he hadn't been in this game a long time when compared to others like the Second Seat or the lowly Jason Ciliars but he had to admit, obtaining the Death Mage hadn't been too hard.

Frustrating, yes, but ultimately not hard at all.

But to think that those marvelous powers were in the hands of a piece of shit streetrat, and one from L2 no less! A travesty if he ever saw one. That'd change soon enough though, he mused to himself.

Of course, it seemed like things were going too smoothly as his first obstacle of the night finally presented itself and in an annoying package at that.

Barging into his office was none other than the Fourth Seat, Hierarchy. Xavien would be the first to admit that he hadn't been expecting the older and more powerful to suddenly show up as he had and he cursed at the fact that the man knew where he was. He had been positive that no one in The Collective even knew that this was his private lair!

This needlessly put a wrench in his plans…

"What a pleasant surprise, Fourth Seat," Xavien greeted pleasantly though within he was peeved.

"Spare me the pleasantries," Hierarchy snapped. How predictable, the man wasn't in the mood to chitchat. Well, that just left Xavien wondering why his superior was here in the first place. That thought was soon followed up by wondering how he knew to come here anyway.

"So what can I do for you, Fourth Seat," he asked, "or should I ask why you've come all this way? I wasn't expecting anybody."

"You think too highly of yourself," Hierarchy sniffed. "The reason I'm here is because we're starting to get a little impatient with you. As of now, I am overseeing your operations from here on in."

Xavien frowned. "Hadn't I said it would take at least a month? It's only been approximately two weeks since I began working on this operation myself."

"You're being too public," Hierarchy snapped back. "I knew there was something wrong about your little plan and what have you to show thus far? A dead arms smuggler and a Preventers investigation that's starting to get too close to us for the Second Seat's liking. Now, I would like for you to bring me up to speed with what you have thus far and I will take over from here."

Xavien's frown deepened but he said nothing as he leaned back into his chair, seemingly thoughtful. What was he to do now at this unprecedented maneuver from the higher ups? If he lied, it would only be a matter of time before his deception could be discovered and he disliked having a more powerful magic user here, one who could fight him on equal ground and come out alive. No, a different tact was going to be needed here and some world class verbal acrobatics as well.

Still, he always had a way with words so hopefully he might be able to talk his way into lulling Hierarchy from becoming too suspicious of his intentions. But it would be difficult; the other man was incredibly shrewd and wasn't the type to allow himself to be fed bullshit.

However, a movement behind Hierarchy caught Xavien's eye and he realized he had a trump card up his sleeve. Of course, he couldn't allow Hierarchy to find that out just yet and he had always loved playing around before going in for the kill.

"So what exactly is it that you would like to know?" he asked, sounding put out. "So much goes on around here and unless you are specific, I can't tell you just what you want to know."

"Your attempts to stall for time are pathetic," Hierarchy sneered. If the older man was trying to degrade him, he was failing miserably. Blinded by his own arrogance, Xavien knew he just had to tread a foot more steps before taking the plunge and passing that point of no return.

"Whoever said I was stalling?" he asked innocently. "I am merely just trying to make it easier for the both of us so that we can get down to business. Why waste time talking about meaningless topics when you can cut to the heart of the matter first thing. That is what you want, correct?"

Hierarchy blinked at him stupidly, as if not comprehending what he had just been told. This was why Xavien despised him; the man was so full of himself that he blinded himself from seeing all sorts of alternatives. Well, that wouldn't be a problem for long, now would it?

"Yes, well," the older man struggled for words and Xavien was indulgent enough to give him the time to get the wind back into his sails. Hierarchy straightened his back and squared his shoulders, trying to portray that he was in no mood for games. "Update me on your progress towards capturing the Death Mage," he ordered. "And don't leave anything out, not even the slightest detail!"

Xavien raised an eyebrow. "There are a lot of details."

"Do not tempt me, Sixth Seat," Hierarchy growled. "Now, your progress?"

"As to be expected," he said at last with a sigh.

"And that means?" Hierarchy sneered.

"Oh, not much. The Death Mage has been secured and is imprisoned within this very castle," Xavien shrugged, sounding as if he was talking about the weather.

Hierarchy stared at him, as if not believing him but Xavien didn't care at this point what the Fourth Seat believed. He knew what the facts were and that was all that mattered. The fun inlaid in getting Hierarchy to figure that out for himself. To his surprise, Hierarchy seemed to come to that conclusion sooner than he had thought.

"You mean you already have the Death Mage?" Hierarchy practically shrieked, towering over the sitting Xavien.

"I just returned with him," he replied, nodding his head in agreement to Hierarchy's logic.

"Then if that's the case, what are you doing?" Hierarchy demanded.

This time, Xavien really did blink in confusion, not following the other's thought process. "I'm following orders," he said slowly, as if speaking to a child, "and as ordered, I have successfully captured the Death Mage."

"Then why haven't you informed the rest of us about this?" Hierarchy snarled. "Why haven't you gotten into contact with the First Seat, or even the Second Seat, and reported your progress? What do you think you're doing?"

Ah, so that's where Hierarchy was going. Predictable old man, always thinking about those in higher positions. Well, this was going into a direction he hadn't thought of but he was more than willing to adapt…as well as reveal some of his own thoughts.

"What's the matter, Fourth Seat?" he asked. "Doesn't a person of your prestige and power have any ambitions of your own?"

Hierarchy stared back at him, comprehension slowly dawning on him and with that the air around the older man began to shimmer with suppressed magical power. "So that's it!" he hissed. "That's why you volunteered to capture the Death Mage! You're planning on keeping the Death Mage for yourself and using him against The Collective! That's it, isn't it?"

Xavien snorted. That man had been on such a roll too… "Is that the best you can come up with?" he shot back. "Why stop with taking the organization for myself when I can harness the very power of Death itself to conquer humanity itself? Though I am loathed to say it, the potential of that little streetrat surpasses that of the First Seat himself. No, not just the First Seat, the entire Collective! And soon that power will belong to me and me alone!"

The force of magical energy exploded before him and slammed both him and his chair into the wall behind him, the pressure created by the magic keeping him pinned. Hierarchy was practically floating in the air due to the amount of energy he was emitting and Xavien had to admit to himself that he was a bit scared.

He had only heard about the powers of his superiors but to actually see one of them in action was an experience all by itself.

"You little traitor," the Fourth Seat sneered. "I'll deal with you right here, right now, and then present Death's chosen to the First Seat himself!"

Xavien allowed a little smirk to form on his lips, despite the dire circumstances. "Alright, but you might not want to look behind yourself if you want to go through with that plan."

"Eh?" Hierarchy grunted and like the fool he was, he turned his head around, confident in his own power to prevent the Sixth Seat from doing anything only for his eyes to meet up with incredibly dark ones.

And just like that, he lost control of all his power as he became a slave to Morrigu, the Phantom's Vampire.

As Hierarchy's power seeped away, Xavien allowed himself a breath of relief as control of the situation was back in his hands. Of course, that didn't mean he didn't see the contemplative look in Morrigu's eyes as the other thought about what to do with his newest slave. Xavien knew that the other could order the Fourth Seat to kill him but the Phantom had a trump card up his sleeve.

"Don't even think about it," he warned. "If I die, the contract ends and the Death Mage goes free. I doubt the streetrat will even give you the time of day if you go after it. Besides, before this night is over, I'll give it to you for your services rendered thus far, guaranteed.

Morrigu seemed to think this over in that empty head of his before nodding in agreement and putting aside any thought of taking over the operation for himself, much to Xavien's delight. "What do you want to do with him?" he asked, tilting his head towards the stone still Hierarchy.

"Dispose of him, rape him, I don't care," Xavien shrugged. "So long as he isn't able to send word back to the others, that's all I care about.

"But won't they get suspicious if he doesn't contact them?" he asked. "You know how the Second Seat's mind works."

"Then we'll just have to step up the timetable for tonight," Xavien shrugged nonchalantly. "Before the Second Seat can rally the other Seats to come looking for us, I'll have everything that the Death Mage has to offer. Make sure everything is ready and do something about him," he ordered, gesturing towards the Fourth Seat. "We'll need to move as fast as possible; heighten security and kill anyone who gets too close the castle, I don't care who the hell it may be. No one leaves, no one comes in."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Morrigu drawled, waving a hand exasperatedly. "As long as I get what I want, Janus, that's all that matters."

"I'm glad we see eye to eye on this," Xavien said dryly. Without saying another thing, Xavien stood up and left his office, leaving Morrigu alone with his new slave.

The tall pale man gave the old man a glance before grimacing and looking away from him. "On second thought, you're way too old for me," he said. "Might as well do everyone a favor," he mused out loud before ordering, "find something sharp and castrate yourself or something. Let yourself bleed out until you're a dried out husk, I don't care. Just die."

Hierarchy's body shuddered and began moving involuntarily to do as his new master ordered, no matter how much he willed himself to fight.


	34. Mobile Suits vs Magic

Author's Note: This is the chapter that stall this story for nearly two months. A lot of effort when into this just to make it, in my opinion, as mediocre as it could get. Needless to say, Archsage Soren's muses abandoned us for quite some time and dragged their feet coming back. Anyway, without further ado, enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language, violence

Mobile Suits vs. Magic

"You have got to be kidding me," were the only words Quatre was able to utter as he stared at the small armory of Mobile Suits, a stash that had somehow managed to avoid being sent off to the scrapheap like so many others were. But the big question to be asked, though, was why did Une know about them?

Or maybe it should be why was she keeping them around?

Regardless of how she had gotten and hid them away, the fact remained that she had them and was in the midst of having them loaded up onto a large cargo plane. At this point in time, the blond was ready to just suspend belief and go with the flow. He had no more control over the situation anymore and since it was Une who had come up with their plan of action, he would just go along with it.

Still, he had hoped never to have to see another Mobile Suite again, especially in preparation to use it for combat.

In his opinion, Une's plan was a bit overkill; use some Mobile Suit's to attack Xavien's base as a distraction while a select few snuck in and got Duo out. As soon as their friend was out of there, the suits would have the go ahead to level the place to rubble.

Not even the strongest magic user would be able to withstand such an assault and he was wagering that Une was counting on that to put an end to the Phantom.

However, he wasn't privy to who all was going into the Phantom's lair but what he did know was that he wasn't being allowed to go in. He argued vehemently against that; he had magic and who knew what kind of protections were all over that castle? It made sense that he was allowed to go in.

He had a sneaking suspicion that one of the so-called leaders of Death's Hand was behind it but he didn't have any proof of it.

Of course, he wasn't going to just sit there and do nothing while the others had roles. Those of them who were lacking in the field of magic, such as Trowa and the others, were going to be piloting the suits while Solo was going to sneak in with an infiltration group into the castle. He'd let them think he was cowed for now but once they weren't looking, he used those lessons that Duo taught him back during the war. Specifically, the ones that were for sneaking around.

Yes, sneaking around wasn't the kind of thing that would be approved by a family as influential as his but as it was put to him a while ago, in war everything's game. And a strategy that was taught to him by none other than Instructor H would be utilized.

That strategy, of course, being deception.

Deception could be a useful weapon if one knew how to use it correctly and was careful enough not to give hint of it away. That, and taking the place of one of the Death's Hand operatives who would be going in as well as informing Une that he would stick in Rome helped.

So the earlier comment could have given him away had anyone sharp enough had been paying any attention to him. His nerves were high strung as it was and he prayed that Une wouldn't have caught it. Apparently, Lady Luck was on his side this time, as Une hadn't taken her eyes off supervising the storing of the Mobile Suits into their transports.

He fixed the beret that perched on his head, making sure none of his blond locks had escaped while he had been preoccupied. Making sure that no one was able to get a good look at his eyes either was also a priority but it seemed like he had struck out again as the person whose place he had taken was of the shy type.

The only question though was how long would it be until his luck ran out? Hopefully after they had retrieved Duo and leveled the Phantom and his castle to the ground but when you're a Gundam pilot, you have to expect your luck to run out even before you engaged the enemy.

Perhaps he would have been more at ease had he heard from his sisters any word from their spy in The Collective but thus far not a peep had been heard. Either he had given the man too much credit, he had been found out, or he was in a situation where he couldn't get into contact with them. He was hoping for the last one but he was leaning more towards a combination of the first two.

You just can't get good help these days.

He took note of just how far along things were, seeing to his satisfaction as the last of the Mobile Suits were being loaded, the whirring sounds from all the various machinery nearly deafening. He was used to such sounds and was able to block most of it in favor of following after another member of the infiltration group.

They were almost ready.

* * *

It was about an hour or so later when the aircraft entered Italian airspace and Wufei found himself energized with anticipation. The loading had gone on far too long in his opinion and the sun was just starting to reach the western horizon.

It wasn't really comforting that they were heading east, though. For some reason, he had the feeling of dread in his gut that just wouldn't go away. He didn't like it nor did he like the situation.

At least he wasn't the only one antsy; Barton was sitting across from him and while he looked as still as a rock to the untrained eye, the Chinese pilot knew that the other was also affected by the somber atmosphere. Neither of them had believed that they would ever find their selves sitting in another Mobile Suit cockpit but lo and behold, that was just what they were about to be doing again.

He didn't know whether to be ashamed about having to get back into one or appalled that Une had kept some Suits stashed away. It was as if she had been planning for a contingency where such weapons would be required, not a pleasant thought mind you.

Yuy was currently working with one of the suits in the cargo bay, making adjustments and whatnot, updating the systems and all in all getting them ready for combat. That man was single minded when it came to these kind of things, Wufei had to give him that. But could it be that that was Yuy's way of coping with the situation? He had always been at peace when computers or weapons were involved, particularly updating, upgrading, and examining them.

He could let a quirk of that caliber by; it wasn't as if he didn't have his own ways of coping. Of course, he'd needed a small cup of sake and some incense for his method but at the moment neither of those two items were in the near vicinity.

He would have to make do with what he had which happened to have him cleaning out his gun and making sure it was in top condition just in case he needed to use it. Not that he was going to need it since he would be piloting one the Taurus's that Une had pulled out but from his experiences, it was best to go in overarmed.

You never knew when you could use the ammunition.

The door to the cargo bay slid open with a hiss and Yuy entered stoically, taking a seat right next to him and slid out one of his guns from its holsters, proceeding to check over it and make sure it was in peak condition.

Sliding an eye to his comrade, he asked, "Finished?" He didn't need to add anything else to that as it was clear what he meant.

Yuy grunted out a "Hn," not answering for a moment as he eyed the barrel of his gun before elaborating. "The reaction time is too slow and all have lacked basic tune-ups for too long."

"Can it be overcomed?" Barton questioned, asking a useful question for his first words ever since this operation had begun. Wufei couldn't lie and say he wasn't interested in the answer either.

"All but the reaction time," Yuy answered.

"That's because I believe you are all used to faster reacting Suits," Une spoke up dryly. "The reaction time of a Gundam is much shorter than that of a Taurus or a Leo. I'm not surprised at all that you find it too slow. Anyway, it shouldn't matter, especially since The Collective doesn't invest too much in military technologies. Xavien should only have the defenses necessary to stall a ground force of foot soldiers, not a force of Mobile Suits."

"So while he's focused on the threat of the Suits, he won't be paying attention to anything else," Barton summed up, nodding as he spoke.

"It's what any person under the same circumstances would do," Une agreed. "And that's why we'll be able to sneak someone in under his nose."

"But wouldn't he have some kind of shield up?" Wufei asked, the thought just occurring to him. "I've seen some awe-inspiring things and wouldn't it be in his interest to have such a thing?"

"Barriers take up a lot of energy," Une explained, "it would have given him away to every magic user in Europe, especially if it's over a large area of land. It's more economical to have physical defenses up instead of magical. So I would assume."

"One of these days, you and Winner are going to sit down and tell me everything you know about magic," Wufei stated. "As soon as I think I can begin to get a handle on it, one of you mention something that throws it astray."

"Depends if you have a few years to spare," Une shrugged. "Even I don't know everything and I doubt that Quatre would too. From what I've been told, no one can know everything there is to know about it."

"And that would include our enemies, wouldn't it?" Barton spoke up.

"Of course," Une confirmed.

"Seems to me that if you have enough physical pressure applied, even magic can be strained," Barton continued. "That seems to be the gist of what I have surmised from why we're using Suits."

"Also for the tactical and element of surprise," Une said. "Everyone outside of us knows that there aren't any functional Mobile Suits around. The Phantom won't expect it and the shock from the sight should be enough to create confusion and panic."

"I'm beginning to see your logic," Wufei said. "The Mobile Suits are more of a psychological and morale attack than it is physical."

"You're catching on," Une agreed. "I hope you understand your parts in this. If all else fails, we might just have to eliminate Duo."

"Out of da question," Solo's accented voice interrupted, the blond upright and arms crossed. "I ain't come this far ta kill him. It'll be over my dead body if you try."

"Just think of it as extra incentive," Une suggested to appease the blond. "Before this is over, I'm expecting that castle to be nothing but a pile of rubble."

"As long as that happens _after_ I get out of there. With Duo," Solo said firmly.

"This is not the time," Wufei intervened. "Can we afford any dissention among our ranks now? I don't think so."

"You're right, and I apologize," Une agreed, "but I think we need to cover every possibility. The Phantom is not going to let us get away with this without some kind of price extracted."

"Unless we have him paying it," Barton said, his visible eye gleaming.

* * *

The Albanian coast was in sight and all pilots and crew were scrambling to get ready. Those that used magic could sense powerful spells at the edges of their consciousness and that only added to the tension and anticipation that was in the air.

That also served to frustrate Solo slightly more; he was in an iron cage that severely limited his magical abilities, i.e. the plane, and it was only now that he began to wonder how he was going to be getting on the ground so that he could sneak in.

The Une lady happened to have an answer for that and it was one he did not like.

Basically, he and the guys coming along with him were going to hang onto the Mobile Suits like monkeys and once they were grounded, they would crawl down off the machines and go about their mission. He hadn't liked that plan and asked if there was any other way. No was the answer as they didn't have enough parachutes and those would be visible by The Collective forces.

All in all, it sucked and he had a feeling that that Heero bastard was giving him a smug look behind his back even though every time he looked at the other, he only got an emotionless face.

And did he mention that this sucked?

He could have used some encouragement from someone, even blondie though he was left behind, but no, everyone had to be too busy or some shit. He hadn't done shit like this before; the most experience he had with this was being chased on a fucking motorcycle in a city whose name was more than likely dope induced and magical battles didn't count.

As the miles dwindled between them and their destination, he got more and more anxious, shifting his weight from leg to leg without pause and when it was practically time to "deploy" as they called it, he was given some powerful magnets to hold him onto the Mobile Suit and told not to let go of them.

Yeah, he really had to be told that as the concept must've been too complicated for him to understand. Way to show you guys thought he had a chance.

Fortunately, he was going to be on Wufei's Suit and not Heero's, thank God. At least his odds for surviving this went up marginally.

"I'll try to make this an easy landing," the guy had told him, "but I can only do so much. The rest will be up to you so hold tight."

Okay, at least it wasn't downright negative yet not completely positive. Kinda in that middle ground, that gray zone so to speak. He couldn't help but catch a glimpse of Heero to see that the asshole was slightly disappointed in not being able to have him on his Suit.

Asshole.

Alright, he was just going to ignore the bastard and focus on the matter at hand. Getting through the next five minutes alive so that he could invade another asshole's castle and take back that which was his. Nope, nothing could possibly go wrong with that, right?

Word came in that the castle was now in sight and it seemed that all the iron in the plane was working to their advantage. Any kind of barrier or shield that may have been put up to keep them out were just as effective as paper trying to stop a flying rock.

Gripping his magnets, he followed after Wufei who helped get him into position on the Mobile Suit's back where he placed his magnets and braced himself for the inevitable.

* * *

Xavien surveyed the room, his eyes lighting up at all the runes and symbols laid out on the floor and walls. A powerful ritual was to take place here, just as he had planned it, and now the time was at hand to take away those marvelous powers from that worthless piece of shit streetrat.

He already had a vessel to be a receptacle for those powers already chosen: himself. Who better to contain the awesome powers of death than someone such as him? He was already powerful, magically, and it stood to reason that he would more than likely be able to master those powers in a short amount of time. He had the experience and the patience, as well as the pure talent for magic; logically there was no way this could go wrong!

The ritual would have to be started soon; his time was running out and the rest of The Collective would be investigating why the Fourth Seat hadn't checked back in. A little ahead of schedule to be sure but now was not the time to be thinking of might-have-beens.

His time was at hand and there would be nothing that could stand against him.

The main entrance to this carefully set up room opened and he frowned when he could only detect one pair of footsteps cautiously approach him.

"Well?" he asked stiffly. "What is it?"

"The Death Mage has…gone missing…" the servant said softly and Xavien could practically feel the man trembling.

He spun around, directing all his attention onto the poor soul. "What? Missing? That's impossible! There's no way he can leave that room of his own volition! It's—"

He stopped himself as a possibility occurred to him and slowly fury began to overtake his mind.

"No…" he hissed out.

* * *

Morrigu practically skipped down the hallway, his zealousness overpowering almost all of his thought as he clutched the end of a delicate seeming leash in his slender hands.

On the other end of this leash was none other than the Death Mage himself who had a positively adorable look of confusion on his face. It aroused the vampiric man like nothing else at the thought of corrupting that look and utterly destroying it forever. He reflected his thoughts physically with a devilish grin splitting his lips, a bit of drool almost leaking from the corner of his mouth.

Up ahead he could see one of the servants approaching him and he knew just what the little man was going to try and do: stop him from taking what he had wanted for so long and let Xavien have his fun first.

Well fuck that. He had been patient for too long and he wasn't going to wait any longer. He would finally take the Death Mage and possess everything he had to offer, willingly or not.

His eyes blackened as they focused directly into the servant's eyes, the little man's body freezing up as his free will was robbed from him. His grin widened wickedly at another will captured and another pair of eyes looked up to him in fear and dread.

However, he must have been having an off day as he couldn't figure out just what to do with this latest slave. There wasn't anything particular that he wanted but he didn't want the other person walking around and giving him away.

"Turn yourself into stone, or something," he said dismissively, walking past the frozen man as he could see the pale skin darkening into a flat grey from the corner of his eye. He could feel the waves of revulsion from the Death Mage but he found that he could have cared less about it.

"Don't worry, my little Death Mage," he purred. "What I have in mind for you is infinitely more enjoyable than that fool's fate. Trust me, you're going to _love_ it."

"You are so dead when I get rid of this thing," the Death Mage snarled at his back.

"But until then, you're all mine," Morrigu replied happily. "And besides, even if you do get free, it won't matter. I have my own ways of…persuasion."

"You're fucking sick, you know that?" the Death Mage spat at him, as he was lead down towards Morrigu's private chambers…

* * *

"That menace is interfering with my plans for the last time!" Xavien bellowed as he stormed through the hallways towards his subordinate's rooms. "It's time I put that creature down; his liabilities are beginning to outweigh his assets—"

He felt what seemed to be a small earthquake and he stopped in his rampage, frowning at what could have been the cause of this latest disturbance.

Then the unmistakable sound of explosions rocking the castle forced him to his knees as the hallway in front of him caved in, debris flying everywhere. He was lucky that he barely got a scratch from where he was; he hadn't thought to put up a shield to protect him so the fact that he still had his life didn't pass him.

He raised his head up, anger and rage contorting his features as he swore to punish the idiots who were responsible for this. Didn't these morons know how expensive it was to make sure this place didn't fall down around their heads? Whoever blew this hole in his wall was going to suffer for this.

He peeked his head around the hole and froze, his eyes bulging at the sight he came upon.

There, right there, were active Mobile Suits, all of them facing towards the castle with their model to scale guns all aimed at the castle and its defenses. Xavien had never before thought he'd find himself on this end of such a weapon; it had never entered any of his considerations.

Whipping away, he hurried off with his overactive mind making amendments to his plans.

* * *

One minute everything had been still, the next minute Solo found his body buffeted by biting winds followed by a bone shaking crash as the Suit he was clinging onto landed onto the ground.

Now he wished he had brought some earplugs with him; Wufei was firing his gun and damn that thing was loud! He had never been close to a Mobile Suit in action like this before and now wished he had never been but it was a sacrifice he needed to pay in order to accomplish his goal.

Releasing his hold on the magnet grips, he scurried down the length of the Mobile Suit and as soon as his feet touched the oh-so-sweet ground, he was off into the woods to rendezvous with that team the Une lady had forced to go with him.

It took longer than he had liked for them to regroup, precious minutes being wasted and Solo did not know if Xavien and his groupies had anything like transportation spells to get away. They probably knew such spells but it was whether or not those barriers that were set up all around the castle and the surrounding area could interfere with them.

He hoped that that was the case; it meant the assholes were still inside and ready for the plucking.

The moment he figured that the majority of the team was together, he took the lead and set off towards the castle, gesturing at them to follow. If they couldn't keep up, it wasn't his problem. Back on the streets, if you weren't fast enough, you were left behind and that could mean death.

They were much further away from the castle than he had thought; that may have been because of how large the Mobile Suits were and the fact they could probably cross that distance faster than they could. Add to it that the blond was more than used to sneaking around in places made of concrete instead of bushes and trees and there you found a lot more time wasted.

Hmm, they probably should have thought this thing more thoroughly.

Soon, none of that mattered as he came upon a solid brick wall and figured that they were at the castle. At least, it was a solid brick wall before one of the Mobile Suits shot it and blew it to smithereens. He raised a shield up to protect himself from the debris but it wasn't enough to keep out the heat that radiated from the blast site.

He found himself being pulled away by one of his so-called teammates, a young looking guy wearing a beret whose eyes seemed very familiar. He pushed that thought to a side; he had more important things to be wondering about.

Looking towards their entrance, he whistled and commented, "Looks like da party just gettin' started."

* * *

Quatre had been slightly nervous that Solo would recognize him but when he didn't call him out, he felt marginally safer. Then again, how safe could one person be on a battlefield? And it wasn't as if the taller blond would send him back at this point, even if he did discover who he was.

They were beyond the point-of-no-return.

He watched as Solo lightly passed over the blown open section of the wall, stepping on the debris and moving quickly, not losing his balance for an instant. He steeled his nerves and followed after, albeit slightly clumsier.

Indeed, it was time to get the party started.


	35. Morrigu's Reward

Author's Note: Now this is a bit of a risqué chapter here. Non-consensual stuff and whatnot. Will it be all the way, that's for you guys to find out. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language, violence, death, adult themes

Morrigu's Reward

Xavien reentered the room in a newfound frenzy; things had taken a turn that he hadn't been prepared for and now it was all fucked up.

Yet he wasn't about to let it all slip through his fingers, not when it was too late to return into The Collective and try and pass everything off as an ill-fortunate mistake. All he needed to do was tweak the ritual somewhat. If he couldn't bring the streetrat here to the ritual, then he would just have to bring the ritual to the streetrat.

With that in mind, he began to make some alterations to the runes…

* * *

"Here we are," Morrigu said cheerfully, lightly yanking on the leash. Duo scowled as dark thoughts filled his mind yet he knew that as long as he had this collar on him, he couldn't do a damn thing to help himself.

Morrigu merely chuckled and opened the door to his rooms, tugging Duo in and shutting the door behind him. He lightly grasped the braided one's chin and lifted his head up so that Duo would have to look him in the face.

"Now, just so we won't have any problems…" Morrigu said throatily as his dark eyes became a solid black.

Duo felt something stroking against his mind and he didn't like the feeling of it. He struggled against it yet the presence was firm yet soft. It pried into his mind, finding the source of his free will and slowly plucked the mental grip Duo had on it bit by bit.

And there was nothing Duo found he could do about it.

His will slipped free as it was taken from him oh so gently and he felt his physical body freeze up. He found that no matter what he tried, he couldn't move a single muscle, not even his eyes that continued to stare up into Morrigu's inky black ones.

The pale man chuckled again, stroking a thumb against his cheek as he drew away slightly. "There," he said, "now I say we get to know each other a little bit more. Let's get comfortable first; it's so tiring standing up to do this anyway. In fact, there's a bed right over there…"

* * *

Solo hadn't been on a raid in a long time. That is to say, the kind of raids he did in his heyday as a street urchin was for food and he was usually in charge of that. Here there were big differences, seeing as he wasn't trying to grab anything in sight and not nailed down, and he was out of practice.

Plus he wasn't in the frame of mind to lead anybody anywhere. So as soon as he found a way into the castle, he slipped away from the group.

He could sneak around better and faster by himself. Plus, he doubted any of those guys had ever done something like this before. He knew nothing of what they could do and he rather face off with a devil that he knew instead of one he didn't know. Who knows, sticking with the group could be bad for his health.

Shadows filled the hallway and he noticed the lack of electrical equipment. Perfect for him as he used the shadows this time as more of an alarm system to tell him if anybody was near or heading his way.

He was sneaking around, remember? Plus it was better to not give yourself away until there was nothing the other guys could do, something that Duo had a hard time learning when they were younger.

He felt a ping and hid himself away just as a small group of Collective soldiers stomped by, followed by things shaking due to the explosions outside. Damn, couldn't the guys out there, you know, be a bit more considerate? He was trying to find Duo here!

He flitted from shadow to shadow, his muscle tense from his nerves alone. The barriers from outside the castle were making it hard to locate things from far away; he remembered the collar that had been placed on his friend and knew that it should be eking some kind of signal, even if it was extremely subtle.

Since he couldn't feel it right now, he figured that he'd have to get closer. Man that sucked but it was the only way right now. He didn't like it, he didn't have to like it, but that was how things were.

He felt another ping from the shadows; somebody was nearby yet they weren't moving but staying in one place. In fact, they were close by…

Feeling free to use a spell, he used the shadows to grab on to his prey and suck them in, transporting them until they were right in front of him. The shadows before him thrashed and slowly spat out two young men. At least one of them looked like a man, what with his dark tan and short cut blond hair. The other was smaller and looked like a boy, made even younger by the small glasses that were perched on his small nose.

He smirked. "Well lookie here, caught myself some fish."

The tan man glared at him, his arms wrapped protectively around the smaller boy. "Fuck off," he snarled.

Solo blinked at that, the sight of the two young men morphing into two small, longhaired streetrats. He shook his head at that, banishing the memory; he could lose it later, right now he had more important things to do.

"You wouldn't happen' ta have seen a little guy with a long braid 'round here, would ya?" he asked casually, ignoring the 'fuck off."

The two blinked at him. "You're looking for the Death Mage?" the tan one asked, his grey eyes widening slightly.

"Don't make me repeat myself," he retorted. "And don't try ta lie. I'm kinda in a hurry here."

The tan man squeezed the smaller man in reassurance before answering, "What if I say we did?"

"Then I'd say you better take me ta him now before I let my little shadows have their way with you and I'm not thinkin' 'bout them tearing you apart. Saw this comic book a while back where somebody got screwed by some tentacle things. Think that might be interesting ta watch."

The smaller one squeaked in fear and cried out, "Okay! Okay! We'll take you to him!"

"Henri!" the tan man tried to reprimand.

"Don't go changin' his mind," Solo cut in. "If you won't show me where you're holdin' him, I got a few pals outside who are Gundam pilots and they would love ta have a word with you guys."

Henri's eyes widened, almost to the point that they could have popped out of their sockets! "Travis!" he cried out to the other.

The now named Travis blinked at him before huffing and saying, "Fine. Guess you must think you're a Winner or something."

Solo was about to say something but he paused for a second. There was something about the way this guy had said winner… Hmm… "I'm not a pussy," he shot back, "and I'm a guy. Get walkin', we're burning daylight."

Henri stopped in his panic to look at him queerly for a second while Travis nodded his head, as if somehow getting what he was saying. "It's this way," Travis said, gesturing behind him.

"Move fast," he replied as he followed after his impromptu guide.

* * *

Oh, this was just great.

Quatre knew he should have kept a closer eye on Solo but now the other blond had spirited off leaving the rest of them "leaderless," so to speak. Guess he was going to have to take charge quickly and hope that no one got suspicious of him.

However, before he could open his mouth, they were spotted by some of the Phantom's men who blinked at them in surprise. It seemed as if time had frozen or was moving so slowly that both parties were stunned into indecision.

However, thanks to his Gundam pilot training, Quatre was able to recover and act quicker than the others, casting a binding spell that encompassed all the enemy men's bodies, including their vocal cords.

Rushing over to the men, Quatre struck them all on their necks, rendering them unconscious as quickly as he could, releasing them from the binding spell one at a time and letting them fall to the ground.

"Secure these guys," he ordered. "Make sure they aren't found or can alert anybody that we're here. Move!"

It seemed the commanding tone in his voice was working as none of his allies paused to question him and got to work immediately. Ah, it felt good to finally get some respect around here.

He was on edge, though, cursing the fact that the Phantom had so many barriers on the castle; it covered up many of the spells in the building so there was always the possibility that they could spring a magical trap. It was like Rome all over again except he doubted that there were any chimeras around trying to rip them to pieces.

A nightmarish howl put an end to that thinking and he groaned as he heard the telltale pitter-patter sounds of stone paws impacting the floor. In less than a minute, the stone white creatures appeared around the nearest corner, the beasts skidding on their clawed paws and then leaping at them with their acidic drool flying everywhere.

Quatre was taken off guard slightly when two of the Death's Hand men stepped forwards and flung a solid barrier in-between them and the chimera, followed by another two who were forming halberds made of pure magic.

They were efficient, to say the least, as the engaged the monsters but this also told the blond that there was someone else in the castle, someone whom he wanted to settle a score with himself.

Pike Verso. There could be no one else.

It was a split second decision but he had no qualms about ditching the men to find the source of the chimera and pay him back for Rome.

* * *

Duo found himself lying on a bed, Morrigu towering over him with a predatory gleam in his eye. He didn't like it yet he couldn't move his body to do something about it.

With long, slender fingers, Morrigu ran his hands through his hair, one hand slipping down to take off the elastic band that held his braid in place.

"How beautiful. And luxurious," Morrigu commented, his eyes greedily taking him in as he undid the braid and freed his hair. "If it weren't for the Adam's apple, I'd think you were a woman. Lucky for me, you're not."

Oh how he hated it when it was implied that he was a girl. He was a man, Goddamn it! He had the equipment and everything! This bastard was so lucky he couldn't move of his own free will else he would have torn his spleen out and shoved it up his ass.

Then Morrigu invaded his personal space, setting his head in the nook between his shoulder and neck. To Duo's disgust, he heard the bastard take in a long whiff, smelling him. A hand laid itself on his chest; the fingers drumming a tune over his sternum while the other found its way to his thigh and made its home there.

"Mmm, I can't wait to taste you," Morrigu breathed out. "Then again, why wait?"

Now, while he couldn't move himself, he could certainly still feel as he felt something wet and hot press itself against his neck and he knew immediately that he was being licked.

* * *

The door to the tiny room was slammed opened but instead of seeing Duo like he was expecting, the blond found that it was empty, something that pissed him off royally.

He was not going to stand for this if it was a trap.

"Where is he?" Henri cried out frantically, his head snapping from side to side frantically. "He's supposed to be in here! Travis! What's going on!"

Travis narrowed his eyes as if thinking about any reasons why this room would be empty in the first place. Solo wished he would think faster; he didn't know how much longer he could take standing here while who knew what the hell was happening to Duo.

Then, completely unexpected, Travis leveled a chop into Henri's neck and the small man collapsed into a heap, unconscious. The tanned man looked sorrowful at this but was still moving, nonetheless, as he began moving the unconscious Henri into the room.

"What the hell!" Solo exclaimed, raising his fists up, ready to defend himself.

"It's for his own good," Travis said automatically. "He's not fit to be in this kind of situation."

"Then why da hell is he in The Collective?" the blond demanded.

"Beats me," Travis shrugged. "But why ask about that when we have more important things to worry about, like where the Death Mage is."

Solo frowned at that. "Well?"

"Right now, I can think of only one place he could be," Travis said. "The Phantom must have come to get him early. He has this room set up for something, for what I don't know. That's on the other side of the castle, though."

"Show me," he ordered.

"Yes, my liege," the tanned man grumbled before stopping, looking as if something else had occurred to him.

"What? Forget something?"

"Where's Morrigu?" Travis suddenly demanded. "With the castle being attacked like this, he ought to be somewhere near the front lines, using his magic. I can't feel him…"

"What the…who da hell are you? Really?" Solo questioned, blinking at Travis. "How do you know anything about feeling magic?"

Travis, though, ignored him, his eyes widening suddenly. "Oh shit, we need to check his rooms, quickly. If he's doing what I think he's doing…" He trailed off but was taking off at a run, heading in what was a random direction to the L2 native.

"Hey!" Solo cried out as he summoned his shadows and wrapped them around the other. "Now just wait a Goddamn minute! What da fuck are ya talkin' 'bout and who da fuck are you? Really."

"We don't have fucking time for this!" Travis roared at him. "Morrigu has been talking about nothing but fucking the Death Mage ever since they got back. Morrigu is also the kind of person who does things just to annoy other people, including the Phantom. If Morrigu has been here already, he probably has the Death Mage in his rooms and he's getting ready to fuck or rape him, whichever is more convenient! Now, do you want to save your friend or do you want to play twenty fucking Questions?"

It was a no brainer which one he chose. "Talk while we run," he ordered as he released the other and took off after him as the guy began running again.

"Fine, I'm a spy for the Winner Family," he spat out. "There, happy?"

"Blondie never fucking mentioned having a spy," Solo frowned.

"Well, it's supposed to be a fucking secret," Travis shot back. "It's also a fucking secret that I can use rudimentary magic spells so kindly keep that under your hat, will you?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Solo rolled his eyes. "Stop yapping and run faster, asshole."

* * *

Quatre hid himself in the shadows, letting the chimera run past him and towards where the others were. He had figured from what Trowa had said about their time under the Coliseum that the creatures had some kind of magic radar. The more spells were cast, the more attracted the chimera were.

That and he didn't want to waste too much magic before fighting Pike. He didn't bring his swords with him this time so it was spells and hand to hand combat this time around. Hopefully the other wouldn't have that suit of armor on; it was, as Duo once said, "suck balls" if he did.

Once the chimera were beyond his hearing range, he slipped out and continued on his way, all his senses open for any sign that Pike was nearby.

It just happened to be his luck that he ran into a small group of Xavien's men who all had looks of surprise on their faces. Quatre swore internally; he was going to have to do something to make sure they didn't sound an alarm but with the chimera about, he was caught on the precipice of indecision.

However, these men weren't going to give him the option to think very long as they were raising up guns, sources of _iron_, and he knew his time was up.

He enveloped his body with magical energy, practically glowing gold as he blasted an attack of pure energy at the men. There were screams and cries of pain and in the next second, he could see the men on the floor, all of them sporting various degrees of burns. The iron in the guns had protected them from being killed but right now, he supposed they were wishing they were dead due to the pain they were all in.

He heard a howl and knew he couldn't dawdle anymore so off he was, taking care not to step on any of the burned men. Perhaps they would serve as a distraction for the chimera, if he was lucky.

Suddenly, he felt a surge of magic and he skidded to a halt just as a wall of marble ripped up from the floor and blocked off the hallway while simultaneously creating a doorway in an intersecting wall.

Just beyond he could see an armored Pike who looked as if he had been waiting for him.

"Looks like we have a pest problem," the pale man sneered. "Is the infestation worse than I believe it to be?"

Most likely inquiring if there were others with him; Quatre said nothing in response, instead preferring to take off the beret on his head and reveal to the world just who he was.

"Oh, it's you again," Pike frowned. "I thought you were dead."

"It'll take more than a bomb to finish me off," he shot at the mercenary. "I've been in worse life and death situations, thank you very much!"

"Then I'll just have to make this one fatal, won't I?" he replied smoothly.

Quatre held his hands up. "I am unarmed, Verso. Would you fight an unarmed man with a weapon?"

"Usually, yes," Pike answered readily, "but in your case, I'll make an exception. I always wanted to carve out a masterpiece with my bare hands."

* * *

Morrigu was enjoying this, enjoying tormenting the Death Mage with his sexual prowess. Slowly he had worked his talents to the point that he had the Death Mage's shirt parted, revealing the defined torso that came from being constantly physically active and had even unbuttoned those confining pants.

He wanted the Death Mage to want this, to need it so bad that he would willingly say his name in a plea for mercy. There was nothing better than convincing an unwilling bedmate to want to explore the pleasures of the flesh and he wouldn't allow the cacophony of noise outside to distract him from getting his just reward.

Janus had kept the mage out of his hands and away from him for too long; no more delays, no more patience. He didn't even care if he was sentencing himself to death for this.

It would be _worth_ it.

"You are so tasty," he purred in the Death Mage's, Duo's, ear. "I could just eat. You. Up." He punctuated each of his last three words with a nip to Duo's neck, enjoying the other's obvious struggle not to show how much he was liking this. "You know, you have my permission to moan and scream out my name in ecstasy. I suggest you take advantage of my generosity."

Duo couldn't say anything else; he wasn't allowed to say anything else, which fit with Morrigu just fine. All the more challenge to force him to reach that point.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this," he groaned as he slipped a hand to Duo's zipper, slowly pulling it down. "All the days of watching, all the nights of fantasizing, it was such a test of celibacy on my part. But, as they always say, good things come with time."

He began cupping Duo's groin, a thumb stroking it gently and coaxingly. He could feel the flesh there hardening and his dark eyes gleamed in anticipation as he raised his other hand up to tangle into the long tresses of hair.

"Do you have any idea of what you do to me?" he asked rhetorically. "Do you know how much you inflame my lust, drive me to insane limits where I can't control myself anymore? I guess you don't but you will soon. Just give in to what I'm offering you; I could order you to enjoy it but I rather you accept _that_ willingly. Trust me, it is a pleasure beyond anything on this Earth and the Colonies. I can show you Hell and take you to Heaven all at once."

His tongue slithered out from his lips to lick up Duo's cheek. My, what a fine taste. It was so addictive; he couldn't get enough of it!

He lifted his head up as he felt someone trip one of his alarm spells out in the hallway. Someone was coming and they were going to interrupt his fun. Well, he'd just have to see about that.

"Excuse me for a moment; it seems that we have company coming," he told the Death Mage lightly. "This won't take long."

He got up and headed towards the door, stopping a few feet away from it and clasping his hands together behind his back. Not a minute later, the door banged opened and Morrigu wasted no time in casting his mind binding spell and stealing the intruder's free will. It was only after he was sure he had utter control that he took notice of just who had come in to ruin his funtime.

"Well, well, I hadn't expect you, guttersnipe," he smirked wickedly at the long haired blond who had acted as the Death Mage's bodyguard. What was his name again? Oh well, it didn't matter. He would be sure that he wouldn't survive _this_ encounter.

But first…

"We were just getting started," he said, turning around and gesturing for the blond to follow after him as he walked back over to the bed. "Though, you have some good timing; I always wanted to try exhibitionism."

He gestured for the blond to stop a few feet away from the bed, far enough that he couldn't interfere with the impending activities yet close enough that he would be able to see everything. If he had read things right, and he usually did, this piece of shit had a bit of a thing for the Death Mage, whether he acknowledged it or not.

"Stand right there and enjoy the show," he ordered the blond, not taking his eyes off his prize. "Mmm, now where were we?" he purred towards the Death Mage. His eyes lit up as a thought came to him. "Oh! We haven't kissed yet, have we? Of course, I've been kissing you but I think it's time you…reciprocated this time."

With a command from his mind, Duo's body sat up, his shirt slipping off his shoulders. Morrigu sat before the Death Mage and cupped a cheek with one of his hands.

"Make it good," he told Duo. "If it's not, well, our little friend over there will be the one to…suffer…the consequences."

And then he took Duo's lips.

The taste was amazing but what was even better was that he was kissing back, putting effort into it. He lost control over the kiss for small bits of time here and there, the kiss becoming more of a struggle for dominance than of passion and intimacy.

He loved every fucking second of it.

Finally pulling away, panting hard, he threw a smug look at the blond, noting how anguished the eyes were, reflecting the turmoil within the body. "Now that was a kiss," he murmured, licking his lips while keeping his eyes trained on the blond.

"I hoped you liked it," Duo's hoarse voice spoke.

He was about to agree when he stopped. Wait, how was he talking? He hadn't given him permission yet. Perhaps he had unconsciously loosened his hold on the other's will, nothing to worry about.

Then why was he feeling something lump together deep within him.

He turned his eyes back towards Duo who was giving him a dispassionate look, his head propped up on an arm, a hand under his chin.

The sense of wrongness here increased. When he tried to extort his will on the other, he found that the usual power that he had was not there and was decreasing by the second.

"You should have been more specific," Duo said out of the blue. "You asked for a kiss and I gave you it. Unfortunately for you, it was a 'kiss of death.'"

Morrigu swallowed as he felt his throat dry up rapidly and his breathing increasing rapidly by the second. He found that his body was trembling and for once, the control he held over everyone was now out of his grasp…

"Be careful what you wish for," Duo continued, winking at him, "you just might get it." His eyes brightened with a violet hue and Morrigu felt an external force begin ripping him up from the inside.

He opened his lips to try and scream out in agony but his voice was stolen from him as Death energy erupted from his mouth and any unblocked orifice on his body. Reality around him melted away and he found himself face to face not with any mortal but with an entity that every soul met at least once.

It was indescribable to his mortal mind to put a name to it but he had the impression that the entity was grinning at him.

_We meet at last, Morrigu,_ the entity stated. _For years you have escaped me, stealing others wills and forcing them to do your every bidding, including giving up years of their youth and lives so that you could prolong yours._

_All are equal before me, no matter who they are. Well, I hope you can survive without those eyes of yours. I do not envy you the Hell in which you are about to enter._

There was a slice before his eyes and he felt the precious orbs disintegrate in their sockets, leaving him in complete darkness. He screamed silently as the torment on his soul enveloped him and he knew no more.

* * *

Duo gagged as soon as Morrigu's body crumbled into dust, not even a trace of him left over.

He spat out, trying to get rid of the taste of the dead man, practically sickened to his stomach by it.

Then he felt hands on his shoulders spin him around and a chest smash right into his face. Oh right, Solo was here…and he had seen the whole thing.

Well, shit.

That soon lost a bit of its importance as air became sparse and he needed to breathe.

"Don't ya fucking do this ta me 'gain, ya hear me ya brat!" Solo proclaimed as he buried his face into his shoulder. His grip loosened, allowing the braided one to breathe easier but he was slightly shocked by this response. "And please," Solo suddenly added, his voice muffled by his shoulder, "please tell me you did not enjoy that. 'Cause I swear, I'll kill you myself."

Duo couldn't help it; he laughed. Despite being in the middle of an enemy stronghold, Solo's priorities were resting somewhere else. That was just so…so…well, Solo. Tears began to leak from his eyes and he embraced his friend back, not wanting to relinquish him anytime soon. He needed the physical comfort now more than ever, what with being taken against his will and almost raped by a fucking sicko.

Solo threaded his fingers into his hair and patted his back, rocking them side to side as he tried to calm him down. "Hey, hey Kid, it's okay now. We're back together again. It's going ta be okay now."

Duo pulled away slightly and looked the blond in the eyes before acting on impulse and claiming the other's lips.

* * *

Magical energies roared and light blinded everything from sight but in a matter of moments, it came to an end.

Xavien gasped out as the sensations warring within his body as he crouched on the floor, blackened runes surrounding him. The ritual was half complete; he had what he needed within him now. All that was required was the Death Mage and he already knew where to go to find the streetrat.

The time was at hand and he would be triumphant. Today he would crush the insects that dared to attack him; tomorrow it would be those who opposed him in The Collective. He was too close and he would not allow any more setbacks.

The power of Death itself would soon be his to command.


	36. Rematch

Author's Note: We're getting to the final stretch. A couple of loose ends are tied up here but we're not at the end quite yet. How much longer to go is for you guys to find out. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language, violence, death

Rematch

Solo was in bliss, no really, he was. It had been completely unexpected and it hadn't taken him long to get into the kiss that Duo had oh so willingly, and surprisingly, given to him.

In fact, he had begun to forget just where they were except that something shook the castle they were on and he found himself pulling away from the kiss, inwardly sobbing at the loss. He caught himself staring into those inviting violet eyes and was about to just say, "fuck it" and continue from where they had left off.

But he had to will himself away from doing it; this was not the time and definitely not the place to try and bone Duo. It would have to be later, when they had more privacy and were in a much safer environment.

"Later," he panted to Duo. "Escape, now."

Duo nodded, the lust fading from those violet eyes as he went into what the pilots had called "mission mode." Much as he didn't like to see it, he knew they were going to need it in order to get out of here in one piece; the getting in had been the easier part, now it was time to get out and he doubted anyone would just let them walk out the front door.

"Get some clothes on," he ordered Duo, falling back into a role he hadn't taken up since he had once lived on the streets. "We need ta move fast and quickly."

"Isn't that a little redundant?" Duo asked, straightening out his pants and zipping them up.

"Well, I figured that we need ta be both fast and quick," he shrugged. "Wouldn't that make it twice as fast instead of just fast?"

"I don't know where you learned your grammar but I think you need another remedial course," Duo replied as he started buttoning up his shirt, stopping around the collar that still gripped his neck. "Before we leave, I'm gonna want to ditch this fucking thing first."

"Haven't seen magic like that before," Solo admitted as he began heading away from the bed and towards the door. "We might need to see some experts 'bout it."

"Whatever," Duo rolled his eyes as he followed after, already sensing the loss of the weapons he usually kept on his person at all times. No knives, no guns, no nothing. Sure he had magic but he much preferred to rely on something that was reliable in the past.

"Hey, where'd he go?" Solo demanded as he peeked his head out the doorway. Travis was nowhere in sight; damn it, were they ditched? He knew he shouldn't have believed that story of being a spy for blondie. Either he was being paranoid, and rightfully so, or he was being petty, he didn't know which at the moment and he didn't care.

"What are you talking about?" he heard Duo ask from behind him and he could feel the frown being aimed at him.

"Found some guy who led me here," he answered quickly. "Now he's gone, probably lied his ass off ta me 'cept he led me straight ta you so I don't know what ta fuckin' think 'bout it."

"Then think no more of it, let's get the fuck out of here," Duo said, also peeking his head out and scanning the hallway.

"Right. Well, we're probably gonna have ta find a hole in da wall somewhere. Da Mobile Suits out there have really been laying in ta this place."

"Wait, Mobile Suits?" Duo snapped his head to look at him in shock. The shock was soon replaced with determination as he demanded, "Alright, you're going to have to tell me everything that's been fucking going on here."

"Later," he promised. "Let's get outta here alive first so I can tell ya."

Darting out into the hallway, he just started to trace his way here backwards when the building trembled unnoticeably. What was noticeable was that he felt the castle move and something blocking the way in front of him and the way out.

"What da fuck?" he demanded.

"Oh, this place does that," Duo said from behind, not in the least surprised. "Something Xavien said about this place always changing. There's something special about this castle that the building is always moving around and changing. I don't think it's magical for some reason, though."

"Well, this sucks," Solo said, summing up the situation neatly.

* * *

Quatre was not a manipulator like some people were; he didn't have control over an element that would be at his beck and call, waiting to do his bidding. But he was never a person that was to let something like that keep him from getting skilled at a task.

He just focused more on his general magic abilities, his empathy notwithstanding, and had beefed up his skills in that area. So yes, he was a more "all around" kind of magic user. Only an absolute, complete idiot would just give up if they couldn't specialize in a type of magic; hell, most of the superiors of The Collective didn't specialize in anything.

It was all the matter of refining specific spells that it looked like you were more powerful than you were.

None of that, though, made any difference as he took on the mercenary Pike Verso head-to-head in unarmed combat. This is probably also where he had a bit of an advantage; as a Gundam pilot, you needed to learn to be able to fight with your bare hands in case you were unarmed. Add into that the swordplay his father had forced onto him and he was a pretty decent fighter though the other pilots were better skilled at physical fighting than he was.

So yes, he could read his opponents movements as they moved and could then plan his counter in the split second of time that he had to do so. Magic could be wielded here but since he had fought the mercenary before, he had a better idea of what the other could and could not do.

He would not be defeated this time, not when there were others that were counting on him.

He dodged the kick that Pike threw at him, throwing himself to a side and ducking under the fist that came after. Quatre flared a magical aura around himself, attempting to and succeeding at stunning Pike for a moment where he was able to smash his arm upward into the inside of the elbow of Pike's outstretched arm, causing it bend. Quatre then spun on his heel to land a low kick into the back of his knee.

The armor helped pad against the blows, blocking the pain to a degree, but it didn't prevent him from losing control of one arm and his balance, the mercenary falling to the floor but rolling forward to put some distance between him and the blond.

Quatre was already up on his feet, though and was powering up two orbs of light in his hands, making them emit a sizzling sound before blasting them at the mercenary with the intent of trying to melt some of that armor off.

Pike managed to twist his body enough that he was able to raise an arm up and summon a shield just as the blasts neared him and he gritted his teeth at each impact of the blasts. The blond wasn't holding back anything this time around.

Pike peered at Quatre, his eyes narrowed as he tried to see through the shimmering air, caused by the heat from the two orbs, only seeing the other's silhouette. He fisted his other hand, forming a spell in preparation to tear the other apart.

Meanwhile, Quatre had teleported behind the mercenary, an afterimage or mirage as the Arabs would call it left behind due to the heat of his concentrated magic around, another orb of magic in his hands and ready to be fired. He wasted no time in doing so, blasting the attack right into Pike's back, causing the mercenary to cry out in pain and lose hold of the spell he had been forming.

Marble dust diminished around the impact sight, revealing to Quatre Pike's open back, his pale back slightly visible and scorched. However, Quatre delayed too long as Pike was already spinning around and throwing his arm out.

Any magic user knew that when such a gesture was thrown at you that a spell was coming straight at you. That and Quatre felt the sudden influx of magical power gathering near Pike was shooting straight out from Pike and directly towards him.

Instinct and reflex had him moving just as a lump in the floor lunged at him but not soon enough as something sharp nearly grazed against his jacket, ripping it easily. He took a second to take in the fact that there was a large, marble spike jutting out from the floor and had he not moved in time, would have been impaled on it.

He then cursed as he felt several influxes of magical energy occurring in Pike's vicinity and was throwing himself out of the way of another spike, rolling underneath a second spike that shot out from nearby and leapt over a third one that was shooting out from underneath him. That third one cut up the back of his commando jacket, nearly piercing his skin, sending a tinge of pain up the blond's spine.

He nearly lost his balance as he slammed one foot in the floor but managed to retain it long enough so that he could continue using his momentum to throw out his other foot and start a jerky sprint that became more controlled with every step that he took.

But Pike was also getting more and more accurate as he spikes drew closer and closer, tearing into his outfit and in no time practically leaving him in rags. Quatre could feel Pike was running out of steam though but he had to act quickly just as one spike jutted out right in his path, aimed straight at his heart.

He threw his hands out and grabbed hold of the pointy end of the spike pushing up with his arms and jumping with his legs in a move that an acrobat might envy, might being the key word. His muscles groaned and burned at the unexpected maneuver and Quatre found himself falling forward, or backwards depending on your perspective, with his back slamming right into the rounded, dulled surface of the spike.

"Not bad," he heard Pike call out to him. "Let's see you try and out run this!"

Quatre's eyes darted over to Pike's visage and saw to his horror a spectral entity forming before the mercenary. It was grotesque, an obvious parody of an artwork that Pike must have adored. He couldn't pinpoint which artwork it was but he found he didn't have enough time to do so as Pike fired the spell at him.

Not many were capable of being able to access a forbidden spell and few of those who did were capable of mastering just one. This forbidden spell, the spectral projection blast as it was termed, most likely by some rookie who wanted to name it something cool or had seen one too many Japanese anime, was one of the lower leveled spells but because it was forbidden, it meant that it could do a lot of damage.

And the damn thing was fast, so that didn't give him a lot of time to act. A basic and ordinary spell would not work here so he was going to have to use a spell that he was still learning, having stopped doing so right before the wars, but it was the only one he could think of that gave him a slim chance of survival.

He held his hands just in front of his chest, focusing as much power as he could in a short amount of time and weaving the spell in such a way that it appeared translucent.

Time was suddenly up and he held the spell in front of him, just as the specter intercepted him.

* * *

"I should have known you were green enough not to have a walkie-talkie on you," Duo grumbled as he followed after Solo at a run. "Now we can't tell the guys outside to lighten up."

"Hey, you think I thought about that shit?" Solo scowled back at him, turning his head around just enough so that the braided one could see it. "I ain't a fuckin' soldier man!"

"Obviously," Duo muttered, rolling his eyes, skidding to a stop as the two came upon another intersection. "Okay, Sherlock, which way now?"

"Who da fuck is Sherlock?" Solo demanded, glaring at him.

Before Duo could give him a look, a voice from down one of the hallways bellowed, "NO!"

The two L2 natives snapped their heads around to see the figure of Xavien, his trenchcoat whipping behind him like cape. The bastard looked absolutely pissed and seeing how one of his hands was being enveloped in a dark green light.

This was not going to be pretty.

Then before Xavien could blast them to kingdom come, they felt the castle shift and the bastard was blocked from view by a solid wall. Never before had the two been thankful enough that whatever insane bastard had built this place had given them a bit of breathing room.

"This way!" Duo exclaimed, running down the only hallway that was left to them, that is if you didn't count the one they had just come from.

"What makes you so sure it's this way?" Solo demanded as he ran after him.

"I'm not!" Duo called back to him, a manic grin on his face. "You rather wait for that asshole to catch up with us?"

Solo said nothing to that, seemingly agreeing with Duo's point. At least that was what Duo assumed and he was sticking to that.

The castle shifted again and Duo spied an opening just now becoming revealed. He smirked and readied himself for a sharp turn but tried to stop as soon as he could as his eyes bulged and his arms windmilled, trying to prevent himself from falling over into a sudden drop.

Unfortunately, Solo had as much warning as he did and like in a fucking cartoon, slammed right into him and causing both of them to fall forward into an empty expanse. The drop was short but the sudden stop at the end was discomforting, especially since Solo _landed_ on top of him, practically squishing the life out of him.

Without thinking of the other, he rudely shoved the blond off him and groaned pitifully to himself as he pushed himself up. That's when he got a good look at the large, circular room they were in.

The ceiling was high in here, so high that he couldn't see it but the floor was what shocked the shit out of him. It was glass, completely made of glass; it was surprising that it hadn't shattered beneath them. If he looked closely enough, he could swear he saw movement in the darkness just under the glass yet he couldn't make out just what…

"Mesmerized? I admit, I had the same reaction when I first saw it, streetrats."

His head snapped up and he nearly pissed himself as he saw Xavien standing on the other side of the room, staring straight at them with condescension.

"How da fuck you get here so fast?" Solo yelled out, glaring at the asshole.

"I think it would be obvious enough, even for guttertrash like you two," Xavien smirked. "The castle is constantly moving, shifting; by chance I happened to arrive here just as you two fell in. I could only wish that you cracked opened your skulls but what can you do?"

"You know, I'm really getting sick of that," Duo spat at him. "What we ever do to you?"

"Exist," Xavien said simply.

"Well fuck you too!" Solo snarled as he summoned up a multitude of shadows to tear the asshole apart.

Xavien, however, only snorted. "Ah yes, you're a manipulator. Stupid streetrat, just because you're a manipulator doesn't mean you're invincible." Small bolts of magical energy flickered around Xavien before he released a shout and blasted a wave of power from his body, tearing the shadows to shreds easily. "Anything else?" he asked casually. "No? Then I guess it's my turn then."

The two of them only had a short warning, that of Xavien suddenly becoming enveloped in a dark green flash, to move as a powerful blast of magical power thundered past them. The very power in that one attack was more than enough to have Duo trembling; he had never felt that amount of magic condensed in such a way before.

It was obvious that Xavien was attacking to kill.

"What's wrong?" Xavien mocked, the tiny bolts of dark green colored magic crackling all over him. "Lost your confidence? Good."

"Fuck you asshole!" Solo yelled, blasting two golden orbs at the man, the two balls of light orbiting around each other and at such a speed that they resembled a disk.

Xavien merely rolled his eyes and raised a finger, blasting out a continuous bolt of magic and tore the attack apart and continued to move towards the blond. Duo raised a shield up in front of Solo but the barrier detonated as Xavien's attack struck it, the shockwave throwing both of them backwards and into the wall.

"Is that it?" Xavien inquired, looking disappointed before sneering at them. "You're out of your league, streetrats."

"Oh yeah?" Solo snarled back, gathering shadows around himself. "Eat this!"

The shadows coalesced before him, transmuting from insubstantial darkness into a large, black and purple ball of energy that flared as it was launched at the villain. Xavien's eyes widened at the attack and vanished from sight at the explosion that resulted. Duo felt himself being pounded by the wind and he gritted his teeth as he positively felt he was being flattened against the wall he was against.

Soon, all that was left where Xavien stood was a large cloud of smoke and if he looked hard enough, he could see cracks in the glass floor. Had Solo done it?

"How'd ya like that?" Solo crowed.

However, the blond's jubilation was cut short as he screamed out in pain, Duo jerking his eyes towards his friend and seeing the other's body covered in little, dark green bolts. Once the attack stopped, Solo fell to his knees then onto his stomach, revealing Xavien to be standing right behind him, not a scratch on his person and smirking wickedly.

"Pathetic," he commented, his right hand becoming covered in dark green magic. "Did you really think a spell like that would defeat me?"

_Oh hell no!_ Duo thought to himself as he cried out, "_Kuolemasäde_!" and narrow beam of death energy shot from his hand and straight at the asshole who was intending on harming Solo.

Xavien saw the spell coming and he redirected his own spell, a continuous bolt of magic blasting out to intercept Duo's spell. It was a standstill, Duo gritting his teeth as he poured more power into his spell, determined to put an end to the bastard. Xavien also seemed to be straining as he fought to counterattack.

They were pelted with winds and the castle walls themselves sung with all the magical energy being emitted. Solo's body slid against the glass floor, the winds moving him away from the only two beings who hadn't moved an inch, each trying to triumph over the other.

Finally, the two spells that warred against each other become unstable enough that they detonated where they met and the resulting explosion was deafening. Duo winced and covered his ears, hoping to spare any hearing he might have left and thus didn't notice the arching bolt of magic sneak over to him and strike him.

It felt like all his nerves were on fire and his mouth opened in a silent scream. He hadn't felt this much pain ever as an electrical current ran throughout his body and he found himself praying for the first time in years for the torment to end.

And then it was over and he dropped to the floor bonelessly.

"That death magic, truly it is magnificent," Xavien said. "To think that a streetrat like you would have it. Well, I'll just remedy that soon."

Those words, combined with his stubbornness, was enough to have Duo summon up enough energy to form a violet orb of light in his hand yet he knew sending it out at Xavien would be useless. Instead, he smashed it into the glass floor, the whole room erupting into glass shards and the three of them plunging into the darkness below.

* * *

The chaos was tumultuous and Quatre felt as if he had died a couple times but finally it died down, taking a large portion of his energy along with it. But he was still alive and that was what counted.

"How…how the hell can you know that spell?" he heard Pike demanded at him.

He could only smirk as he wearily answered, "The same way you could know how to do that spectral projection." While he let Pike mull over his answer, his mind was providing him with dozens of options he had and none of them he really liked. That reversal spell he had done always took as much energy from him as it took from the attacking spell, no matter how much he tried to hold back. If the attacking spell would damage him twenty percent, then the reversal spell required twenty percent of his physical energy in exchange.

It was a big reason why few ever tried to master it.

But right now that wasn't the issue; what was is that he was drained and had a mercenary ready to kill him. He needed to act fast but as much as he didn't want to use this next spell, the immediate benefits were outweighing the later liabilities. He would be bone tired later, yes, but the energy he would get now would definitely help him out.

"_Kasvu_!" he cried out, magical energy flaring around him, giving him his energy back as well as some excess. He could feel his muscles bulge with the power but he didn't let the heady feeling get to him. It was definitely an addictive spell, to say the least, but he needed a clear head more than anything.

"_Arabipuku_!" he called out and he was enveloped up in white light, his torn up clothes being replaced with white silk infused with magic and styled in an Arabian fashion. He heard Pike whistle; impressed at his display but now was time to implement his strategy.

He covered his hands in an extremely thin film of magic that was nearly transparent and blended in with his garb. Next, he teleported himself to within a few feet of Pike, reveling slightly in the other's eyes widening, and growled, "Let's finish this."

He started off with a flurry a punches that he was pleased to see Pike scramble to parry and block, unable to get them all as the boosting spell's effects were working in his favor, powering him up so that he was faster than usual.

Then he fell back and let Pike take the lead, block and parry easily, the power boost accelerating his thinking to the point that he felt like he was back in the Zero system.

…Oh please, dear God, do not let him fall into "Zero mode" as the other pilots had termed it. He did not want to go insane again and destroy another Colony.

His thoughts distracted him enough that Pike managed to land a blow on him and the pain brought him back to the present moment. He ducked slightly under Pike's next punch, the mercenary's arm going over his shoulder. He raised an arm and flattened his hand, slamming his palm into Pike's elbow, knocking the arm away so that he could land some uppercut's into Pike's gut, falling back so that he could spin around and land a roundhouse kick to Pike's side and fling the mercenary to the side.

Pike gasped as he felt pain, real actual pain. How could that be? His armor should be protecting him! Then he was able to get a good look at said armor and found himself with a problem.

Large pieces of it were missing from all over his arms, his ribs, and a good amount of his torso. Now that he thought about it, those were the general areas in which the blond had struck him. His eyes snapped up and he got a good look at the blond's hands; it was barely noticeable and you had to be looking really hard but he could just make out the radiance of magic on those slender hands.

"Very clever," he snarled out, cursing himself for letting that out and letting the blond know that he had caught on. Well, he had one last spell to use, one that would put an end to this fight.

It was a binding spell that could kill, one that resembled his own modified version but instead of just freezing the afflicted, they would crumble into pieces. It was a shame that he had to resort to it; the blond would have made a nice addition to his collection…

With the boosting spell still powering him up, Quatre could see that Pike was preparing another spell but he could see a lot of difference with this one. It had the makings of a binding spell, his sped-up mind told him, yet there were additions and replacements in the spell that made it look nonsensical.

One thing that he knew, he couldn't let himself get hit by it.

He could see Pike contain the spell in his left hand, using the limb as a medium to focus the spell and he adjusted his body just so in response. As backup, he began forming the reversal spell, willing to use it as a last resort in case he needed it.

"It's over," Pike stated, a malicious light in his eyes. He then charged at the blond, Quatre ready to intercept him and take him down. While he knew Pike was right handed, the fact that he was wielding his left hand adeptly caught him by surprise, so much so that he reflexively used his reversal spell as Pike's left fist swung at him.

He found his boosting spell get canceled out as the reversal spell drained him but he got a good look at Pike's horrified face as his own spell backlashed against him and flung him a few feet away.

The mercenary clutched at his left arm in supposed agony and Quatre could see a pale white creep over the rest of the left arm and spread around his body. Then Pike's eyes connected with his and the mercenary said, "Not bad. Not bad at all."

Then he was covered in marble, becoming a victim of his own binding spell. Then to the blond's surprise, the statue of Pike began crumbling, falling into tiny miniscule pieces until it was a nice, powdery pile on the floor.

He had been right; he hadn't wanted to get hit by that spell.


	37. The Monster Shows its Face

Author's Note: Those who've seen the Great Mouse Detective ought to recognize the first scene here but we've added more and made it much for suspenseful and action-packed. We're approaching the climax and everything so strap ya'll selves in and get ready. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language, violence, death

The Monster Shows its Face

Duo groaned as his head pounded with an unceasing headache. Christ, what happened?

He heard a loud clang sound nearby and he jumped, his eyes snapping open involuntary to take in what was going on.

What he found shocked him as well as left him speechless. He was currently resting on a large gear that was slowly turning, completing its rotation with another gear next to it, the teeth of each gear meshed with one another. Around him were several other, enormous sized gears, some that were as big as him and others at least ten times his own size. It was like he was in an oversized clockroom but as he looked up, he could just make out some gears attached to the ceiling above, gears that were moving in a large amount of space, always changing their locations. Undoubtedly, they were underneath the castle and he was witnessing the secret of why the castle was constantly changing.

Not to steal a quote from Ghostbusters, but the guy who build this was either a certifiable genius or a deranged lunatic.

Speaking of lunatics, wasn't there one somewhere around here too?

He pushed himself up onto his hands and knees and crawled over to the edge of the gear he was on, looking around and then finally below at the mess of oversized gears here. He almost missed it but just barely spotted a flash of yellow. Focusing on that yellow, he breathed a sigh of relief that Solo was in one piece and not crushed yet.

Thank Shinigami for small mercies.

His relief became joy as he watched his friend also come to though he couldn't tell if he was moaning due to the sounds of the gears. Solo was so far down there anyway that he had to wonder how he didn't break his skull open.

Remembering just why they were down here, he had to admit that breaking that glass floor hadn't been one of his better ideas. He got up onto his feet, moving counterclockwise with the gear so as to keep Solo in sight at all times, trying to figure out a way to get down there.

That's when he saw a form move out from the gears, slowly approaching Solo from behind. It was Xavien and while he didn't have a good look of the bastard's face, he knew without a doubt what he was planning. He could see the dark green crackling bolts around his hand and he knew that if Solo didn't do anything, he was a sitting duck.

So he did the only thing he could think of.

"SOLO! WATCH OUT!" he bellowed out into the noisy room.

He knew he got Solo's attention as the blond looked straight up at him. Then he quickly spun his blond head around in time to receive a backhanded slap from Xavien. Duo winced in sympathy and gasped as Solo rolled off the gear, reacting just in time to grab hold of the gear's teeth.

He needed to get back on that gear else he'd be crushed by the gear's partner.

Duo noticed a large, taunt chain nearby and he made the split second decision to jump and grab hold of it, marveling for a second that he could fit one of his hands in a chainlink easily. In the next second, he was scurrying down the chain, a vertical gear catching his eye.

He leapt from the chain and landed on the vertical gear's teeth, getting a good vantage point as he saw Xavien stalk towards Solo, proceeding to give the blond another dose of his power.

Duo jumped off his gear, barely reaching the one with Solo and Xavien on it, his legs trembling from the recoil of landing on the metal gear. He gritted his teeth as he allowed his legs to bend and sent himself into a flying shoulder tackle, hitting Xavien right in his back and causing the bastard to fall.

However, Xavien caught himself just before he could fall bodily off the gear, his hands grabbing the gear's teeth while his legs remained flat on the gear itself. Of course, he had to land just beside Solo who saw the incoming interconnected gear and let go, falling off into the darkness below.

"SOLO!" Duo cried out running towards where he had last seen Solo only to get hit by a mild shock from Xavien who had managed to push himself away from the gear's edge.

Xavien was giving him this crazed look, a hand raised with his fingers crooked in front of his face, little dark green bolts of magic flickering from it. Duo tensed his body then threw himself at Xavien, not giving him the chance to throw another spell at him. He tackled the man and the two of them fell off the gear and further down into the large room.

Once again, not one of his better ideas.

He felt the teeth of a gear ram into his back and then feeling another gear slam into his side, at which point he parted from Xavien and continued with his fall, hitting other gears before finally landing in the middle of one.

But that wasn't the only agony he was feeling; the damn collar around his neck was acting up, punishing him for attacking his "owner." He could feel it squeezing and burning his neck and he cried out silently, tears leaking out from the corners of his eyes.

Yes, he was in that much pain.

He suddenly felt a kick in his gut followed by all his nerves alighting in distress. Xavien had zapped him again and it hurt just as much as it had back up there. Well, maybe it was a bit worse, what with the collar double teaming with the bastard and burning the shit out of his neck. He was getting sick of this shit but right now he couldn't do shit about it.

He managed to glance up and catch a glimpse of Xavien; the man was looking batshit crazy but he wasn't moving his mouth, probably knowing he wouldn't be heard over the clangs of all the gears around them and didn't think he was worth the effort to use his vocal cords.

Behind Xavien, the bastard's shadow tensed up and was suddenly forced away, the effect causing Xavien to fall backwards in surprise, landing on his back with a barely heard oomph. Crouched on the edge of the gear was Solo, the blond's green eyes blazing in fury as he glared at Xavien. Xavien twisted his neck so that he could return the glare but that was a mistake as Solo pounced in reaction, swiping the edge of Xavien's trenchcoat and pulling it over to a set of nearby gears that laid slighting on top of the gear they were on. In a swift movement, he snagged the end of the trenchcoat in to the gears' teeth and moved back.

Xavien's eyes widened as he was starting to be slowly dragged to the gears, grabbing onto the lapels of his coat and trying to tug against the gears but being unsuccessful.

_Idiot_, Duo thought to himself. Why didn't he just take the coat off?

Solo, meanwhile, had gotten over to his side and was heaving him up in his strong arms. Before he could get comfortable in the hold, Solo had him over his shoulder and was leaping off the gear and into the edge of oblivion.

Huh, since when had Solo gone suicidal?

The reason behind this move soon became known as he looked over his shoulder to see Solo grab onto one of the large chains that hung about all over this place.

"Hold on!" he managed to hear Solo shout to him and then he had no time to wonder as the chain they were on lost its taunt and they were flying upwards along with it, back up towards the ceiling.

Despite the air rushing about them, the only thing that Duo could think of was when did Solo start thinking that this was some kind of action flick?

* * *

As Xavien struggled against the jaws of the gears, the thought of removing his coat not occurring to him, he watched as the two streetrats rode their way upwards, getting farther and farther away from him.

As the distance between himself and the rat that was the Death Mage increased, he saw everything he had done and worked for slip through his fingers. All rational thought began to leave him, his rage slowly consuming his mind. The only thing he could think of was getting his hands on those fucking _streetrats_ and not letting them upstage him, not now when he was so close…

His power crackled around him and his grip tightened on his coat, straining harder and harder under until the end of his coat erupted into a mess of shredded cloth and he was gone.

* * *

The fact that the castle was still standing was in and of itself a miracle. The fact that there were Gundam pilots there piloting Mobile Suits made this fact all the more incredible.

Heero didn't like this waiting, only occasionally firing his Mobile Suit's weapon and always missing the castle to a certain degree while waiting for word that they had Duo back. It was frustrating for him and he had rather he had been in there doing it; he had rescued the other before from Fortress Barge so he had experience here. Sure his intention had been to kill him at first but he had changed his mind and that had to count for something.

That and he had tricked the Mobile Dolls into attacking the operators themselves.

So why were they putting their faith in someone whom they had no real clue as to what he could do other than his word? He didn't like it, didn't like having to stay out here and wait. There was little to no resistance anymore so what reason was there for them not getting out of their cockpits and charging in there; who could possibly stand up against them at this point?

But he was used to following orders and his orders were to standby and intimidate, nothing more. That and Une was checking up periodically to make sure they were all following their "plan."

He was looking at his screen intently, searching for any sign of Duo.

He needed to see that braid and the person to which that braid was attached to. He had to know that the soul of his affections was okay, that he was alive and unharmed. He didn't know if his fragile heart could take it if he lost him.

What was that? His sharp eyes narrowed at the screen in front of him and he zeroed in on the image of the chapel complex of the castle. There was movement; whether it was hostile or not, he did not know but he aimed his weapon at it just in case it was enemy combatants.

Then he got a closer look and his hands gripped on the controls tightly. There he was, there was Duo and he seemed relatively all right but right now he couldn't help but feel an explosion of relief flood him. Oh how he wanted to hold the other pilot and…oh, there was Solo right behind him, his hand rested on Duo's shoulder protectively.

He gritted his teeth as some unlabeled emotion took over and he almost saw red. Even now that adversary of his was standing in his way, preventing him from claiming what he wanted, something that he wanted more than anything in the universe.

With the press of a button, he knew he could put an end to this, this competition and don't think he didn't consider doing so. He couldn't make out any facial expressions from the screen so he couldn't know what exactly was going on between the two.

Then something happened that put his thoughts on hold.

* * *

They had climbed up onto the roof of the castle, the starry night sky a ceiling above them, clouded only by the trails of smoke that rose from the wreckage of military equipment. Duo took in a deep breath of the great outdoors, hit by how much he had missed the smell of freedom, even if it was quasi at this point in time.

As soon as he got rid of this collar, he'd really be free.

"What now?" he yelled back at Solo, turning his head just enough to look at the blond right behind him, the other's hand resting on his shoulder.

"Haven't thought this part out," Solo answered. "Think I should send something out to catch their attention and get a Suit ta come pick us up, I think."

"Sounds like a good idea," Duo replied. "Let's get the hell out of here."

Solo flashed him a toothy grin but then that look was replaced by a frown. Duo knew the reason as to why that was; he could feel it, something beneath them rising upwards quickly. He didn't like it, knew Solo didn't like it, and thus was tensing his body up, bracing himself for whatever was coming their way.

Behind Solo, the roof exploded and the blond shielded him from the small pieces of debris. There was now a hole in the roof but right on the edge of it, between them and the hole, was a bent over Xavien who looked like he had lost everything. His face was so contorted that he resembled a wild animal more than a human being but as soon as those different colored eyes landed on him, Xavien's mouth, which was open to allow him to pant, curved upwards and his eyes lit up in ominous joy.

Solo began to form an orb in one of his hands, attempting to fight the madman off but Xavien swiped his hand and Solo suddenly went flying to a side, landing on a slanted surface of the roof and rolling down it. The blond recovered just in time to grab the edge but right now, Duo could see he was straining himself just to hold on.

Next thing he knew, he was hit chest first with a spell and landed on his back, directly behind where he had once stood. Xavien was then in his face, grabbing him by the front of his shirt and pulling him up just enough so that their faces were extremely close to one another.

He could smell Xavien's hot breath on his face as the man continued to pant but there was victory in the bastard's every movement. He could even hear it as Xavien spoke, "No place to hide now, _streetrat_."

On one of Xavien's hands, magic began to coalesce, the magic encasing his fingers and extending outwards like claws in a pure white color that did not fit with the madman's usual spells. He didn't have more time to ponder over this as Xavien stabbed the white-colored spell into his chest and he felt a burning streak of pain shoot into him.

The white soon changed color, turning purple, while Duo felt as if his very life was being pulled out of him and into Xavien.

"Yes," Xavien hissed. "Yes…"

Violet colored bolts of magic crackled around Xavien, an aura emanating from him as he absorbed the powers of death into him. The flow of power from Duo and into Xavien increased as the man hungered for more and more power, wanting every single shred of it that resided in Duo's body.

"The power…" Xavien laughed. "This magnificent power is MINE!"

Duo fought to retain consciousness, his hand gripping Xavien's wrist but having little to no strength in it as Xavien stole his powers from him. He was only now starting to figure out all the shit the asshole had been saying, how his powers were his and everything.

He was tired of this shit; if Xavien wanted his power, then fine! He could have it.

"You want it?" he gasped out. "Then take it, take it all!"

What had once been a controlled flood of power soon escaped Xavien's power, shattering his grip on it without effort and Xavien suddenly found himself taking in too much in too short amount of time. It was coming in too fast and now he was beginning to feel other effects, the primary one being that the powers he was stealing was rejecting him.

But…but how could this be? He was a goliath compared to this…this…arrrrhhhhhgggg!

Pain consumed every single atom of his being and soon in the place of the streetrat; a different entity had taken its place. His mind couldn't comprehend what it was but the flaming skull that glared its unholy light into him was enough to tell him that he was face to face with Death.

"NO!" he cried out. "Please! Don't!"

_I have but one chosen_, Death stated, _and it is not YOU!_

Xavien managed to shove himself away from Duo screaming in agony as his skin began drying up, cracking and wrinkling as the power of Death itself stole his life away from him. Xavien's screams soon became gargled noises as his tongue was reduced to dust, his movements becoming jerky as rigor mortis took over and blood rushed down into his feet as his heart lost its ability to function.

Yet he was still alive as Death's powers prevented him from leaving his mortal shell. Duo couldn't take watching anymore of this and used what was left of his energy to form one last ball of light that he blasted into Xavien, sending his decaying body flying off the roof and into the ground far below.

There wasn't even a splat to be heard; Xavien's body disappeared in a billowing cloud of dust, fragments of body being the only thing left of him.

He who had once dealt death now had death dealt on him.

Duo practically collapsed, his body crying out for rest. So much energy had been robbed from him to the point that he felt like he could sleep for an entire year, yet there was still one last thing to do.

He pushed himself up onto his arms and began scooting his body onto the slanted surface of the roof, making his way to where Solo dangled. He was so fucking tired yet he continued to push himself farther than he ever had before; he had once had Solo die on him, he wasn't going to let it happen again.

He reached where Solo's hands gripped the edge of the roof and he threw his arm out, grabbing the blond's wrist and holding it with everything he had left.

"C'mon Solo," he grunted with a grimace, muscles shrieking at him as he tried to pull the other up. "Don't fuckin' give up on me now."

Solo released one hand from the roof and gripped the braided one's wrist, gritting his teeth as he started to pull himself up. The wall of the castle was too far away for his legs to set against and give him leverage; he had to pull himself using his strength and whatever Duo had left in him.

Duo knew this and gripped Solo tighter, pulling with all he had left and almost crying out at the strain.

But it was worth it, Solo managed to get his chest onto the slanted surface and swing a leg up to help pull himself up and away from certain doom. Duo didn't feel relief though at this accomplishment; he felt so exhausted that he couldn't even feel his own emotions. His eyelids were so heavy and he found he could no longer hold back the waves of unconsciousness.

And for some reason, he didn't want to resist any longer.

* * *

Solo was panting for air, glad to be back on some kind of surface where he didn't have to worry too much about falling to his death. He had died once before and he didn't feel like reliving the experience anytime soon.

He sensed movement besides him and he quickly glanced over at Duo, seeing the other weaving side to side before suddenly falling over and he moved quickly to catch him, not wanting Duo to fall off the edge.

Now was not the time to fuck up just when it looked like they were finally safe.

"Man, ya gotta be careful," he said gruffly. When he got no answer, he looked closely at Duo, seeing the other's eyes closed and his breathing shallow.

Alarms blared in his head and he began to slightly shake Duo, trying to get some kind of reaction that would tell him that the small teen in his arms was going to be okay. He really didn't have much of a clue as to what might have caused this seeing as how he had been busy holding on for dear life.

But now he was concerned; Duo wasn't moving and his anxiety began to increase with every second that passed and no response.

"Duo? Kid?" he said aloud, his voice raising with each word that he said. "C'mon Kid, ya gotta wake up now. Don't fucking scare me ta death now."

And still nothing.

"Don't you be fuckin' be playin' a joke on me now," he said warningly, trying to keep up some form of bravado. However, he was beginning to drop it no matter what doing so would do to his rep. Duo wasn't saying a damn thing, not even a damn moan. He liked to think that he didn't seem like that stereotype everyone saw him as but he had gotten used to Duo always making some kind of noise.

And now he was at the point where he was going to tear his own hair out if he didn't get some kind of sign that Duo was okay.

He delved into whatever dregs he had left in him, casting a healing spell on Duo, the green glow of the spell radiating a light onto both of them. But still Duo did not do anything. His breathing remained the same and…hot damn, he was paler than he had ever seen him! And he wasn't getting better!

Help, he needed help! How the fuck was he going to get any fucking help all the way up here? He was still recovering from all the damage that asshole had done to him and who knew what else had been done to Duo to get him like this?

Not for the first time, he felt helpless, absolutely helpless.

* * *

Pike Verso gazed at what he could see that was left of Xavien's fortress. The Mobile Suits had converged on it and enemy forces were entering the structure, securing it and taking prisoners.

He only snorted at what was entirely a failure of epic proportions. If Xavien was still alive, which by now he was beginning to doubt since he had not felt out any strong spells being used, then he would have to hunt down what was left of him and get the rest of his money.

It was only luck that he was still here, alive. When the Winner male had reflected his own spell back at him, something he should have taken into consideration before casting it, he had been able to exchange places with a copy of himself, an illusion of sorts. Illusions weren't his specialty but the blond had bought it while he had escaped silently as well as quickly.

It was a good thing that he had a "cure" to his potentially fatal spell. It had blocked most of the spell itself, delaying it and allowing him time to get away so that he could dispel the rest of it in private where no one would interfere.

The result, though, was that his left hand was permanently encased in marble stone; never again would he be able to wield it. Yet he looked on the bright side; he still had his life. That meant he could adjust and adapt to this new change but in the meantime he would have to go into hiding for a while, recover from this loss as best as he could and try and reestablish himself back onto the market.

But, he wanted to make sure he never forgot that boy, the one who had defeated him back at the castle. He had a feeling that he would meet up again but next time, he would come out the victor in their battle.

He turned his back to the ruins and trudged away, disappearing into the foliage.


	38. Run and Hide

Author's Note: Here it is, the last chapter. It's been a journey, hasn't it? But the best ones are those that are open-ended. Nobody's story is over until they're six feet under but since that would put a cramp in the plot, we're not going to be having anyone go that way. I guess that this parting, for now, is a bit bittersweet and if ya'll don't like it, tough.

Anyways, I'd like to thank ShadowMajin for being there since Day 1 and giving various ideas and helping to choreograph the fights when help was needed, Starember19 for entering the fold and constantly reviewing once she discovered this tale, and anyone else I might be forgetting. Still, I'm kind of put off but how a bunch of people just vanished. Haven't heard hide nor hair of ya. It got to a point where there literally was one reviewer (you know who you are SM) and that smarts.

Lastly, I, myself, want to thank Kibin Okami for coming up with the idea for this story and agreeing to co-author it with me. It's been such an experience that I'm looking forward to any co-authorship in the future. Still, if KO has her way, there may be a continuation in the future but what we need now is time and a lot of brainstorming before any fruits can grow.

Now, without further ado, enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own Gundam Wing.

Warning: language

Run and Hide

The image of what was left of Castle Anthovar hovered over the large round table, an undisputable sign of their defeat. However, it was a lost battle; the war was still alive and none of the people who sat in their designated seats would ever think of putting an end to their ambitions.

They had lost two seated members from this disaster, though. One from treachery, the other from obsession. By now, they all knew the extent to which the former Sixth Seat had gone to. It had been an amateurish mistake; they all knew that trying to take the powers of Death from the Death Mage was tantamount to a death sentence. What had the Phantom been thinking? Had that obsession of his finally doomed him?

Jason, now the new Thirteenth Seat thanks to the demise of two upper seats, thought so. That was what he had been able to get out of his own agents and the investigation that was conducted. Not only that but they had underestimated their opposition.

"What else have you found out, Thirteen?" the commanding tone of the Second Seat demanded. "Is there anything else you haven't told us or may have overlooked?"

Jason glanced at the small form standing a few feet behind him. Henri Holmes, a small man who trembled at the auras emitted by every Seat in the room and anxiety was so high that his small glasses were fogging over. He had definitely chosen wisely when selecting his spy to plant in the Phantom's section as he hadn't been found out. In fact, none of the Seated members here were giving him a second thought. Probably had forgotten about the slight individual by now anyway.

"Nothing that comes to mind," he answered truthfully, knowing that the new Fourth Seat, who had once been the Fifth Seat, was combing through his mind, searching for any deception. At this point, Jason had nothing to gain by trying to hide anything.

"Pardon me for a second, but what should we do now?" Damasio, now the Twelfth Seat, asked. "There's still a chance we can catch up with the Death Mage and capture him again."

"Yes, that is the question," the Second Seat could be heard murmuring.

However, before he could make a decision, someone else made the decision for all of them.

"We stand down," a metallic, booming bass of a voice declared, every single Seat snapping their heads upwards to take in the person who dared to say that.

The individual had taken the place of the image of Castle Anthovar, something that none of them had noticed until now, but unlike the image of the ruined castle, he was all too physical and solid. Navy blue vestments draped over the thin yet coarse blue robes that almost came over the barely seen slippers that covered the person's feet. Billowy sleeves connected together due to the arms being folded over the person's chest, covering a marking that all Seats knew by heart. When it came to the person's head, it was blocked off from sight by a mask of sorts, one that was carved out of stone and decorated with two eyes over a detailed nose and closed, jagged "mouth," the eyes seemingly having the ability to peer straight into your very soul. An elaborate helm covered the rest of the person's head, two large ram's horns curling at the sides and over two large, spiked shoulder guards that made this individual seem larger than life.

Though this was the first time he had ever seen such an individual, Jason knew without a doubt that this was the First Seat himself.

Drako.

"Our enemies will expect us to attack immediately," Drako stated, his voice commanding all attention onto his elaborate form. "We will allow them their time of rest, let them grow paranoid, waiting for us. Their ranks will divide with dissention and the very relationships that they have forged between each individual will be their undoing. Then shall be the time for us to take back the Death Mage, this time permanently."

"What about the survivors?" the Second Seat inquired. "What do you want us to do about them?"

"Round them up and make sure they haven't compromised us to the public world," Drako said. "Once our anonymity has been secured, you will decide what to do with them. Time is on our side; we have waited long for the Death Mage, what is a little more time in the grand scheme?

"Tonight is but a small setback, one that will not hinder us. The Death Mage will be ours to command but until then, we will regroup and observe."

Jason, like all the others in this room, knew better than to try and question this. Well, he was too new to be being a Seated member of The Collective so he didn't know exactly why you weren't suppose to question the orders of the First Seat but his survival instinct was screaming at him to just nod and agree with whatever the man said.

He felt an intense pair of eyes pass over him yet he didn't have to look to know just who it was that those eyes belonged to. He remained silent and passive till he felt he was in the clear before looking straight at the robed figure of their leader.

"The Collective is eternal," Drako's metallic voice intoned. "Our victory is inevitable. All those that oppose us, seal their fates, send them on the road to oblivion. Make sure that they do not live to see the sight of the rising sun once more. Humanity is ours!"

* * *

Light slowly drifted into the room that resided in an undisclosed location yet Solo's attention was focused solely on the form that rested in bed. He clutched at a limp hand, desperate for any contact with the unconscious Duo, not wanting to be far away when he finally woke up.

And yes, he meant when, not if.

From what he had been able to find out, Duo had passed out from extreme fatigue, that is he used so much energy and exhausted all his magic that he needed to be dead from the neck up in order to recharge or something. He couldn't give specifics since he kinda tuned out the rest of what everybody was saying.

All he knew was that Duo needed a lot of fucking rest and that when he did wake up, he would give him a piece of his mind, just like the good ol' days.

Duo still overdid things and that was something he hadn't changed since they were both eating from garbage cans.

So yeah, he hadn't gotten much sleep recently, spending all his time at Duo's sleeping side and always warding away anybody he didn't want nearby, which happened to include everyone in sight. The shadows all around the room were on edge, just waiting for the command to tear apart anyone who the blond deemed a threat.

Speaking of threats, it had only been when all the commotion was over back at Xavien's castle that he had noticed that that damn collar was gone. It hadn't taken a great leap of logic to determine that the collar was gone because Xavien was dead and without the caster of the spell around to renew the spell with his presence alone, well, it had been lifted along with half the other magical shit in the castle. Slight burns could be seen on his neck but with enough time and magic, not even a scar would remain as a reminder.

A good sign if he ever saw one.

The loss of the collar was but a small win here; with Duo off in lala land and unable to use his mouth, it was but a moot point. He just wanted Duo to be fucking awake or something, damn it!

He tensed as he sensed someone approach but he didn't look up to see who it was. He could feel the shadow's agitation but there were more important things to worry about. Plus, he knew for a fact that no one here had any intention of harming Duo. He just…he didn't want anybody in a twenty foot radius of the Kid, that's all.

When the person stopped beside him and made no move to do anything, the blond turned his head around just enough to throw a glare at the intruder, warning them off. He should have known better that that tactic wouldn't have a single effect on Heero Perfect Solider Yuy. The asshole would stay despite the danger just to piss him off. Plus he was the most common visitor who no matter how many times he was chased away always came back.

His temper wasn't as long as it usually was, so it didn't take him long to suddenly snap, "What da fuck do you want?"

"Is it a crime for me to be here?" Heero shot back just as testily.

Yeah, they really didn't like each other.

"It oughta be," the blond muttered. "Why ya always comin' in here anyway? Tryin' ta hit on an unconscious guy?"

"I could ask the same of you; trying to isolate us from Duo?" Heero retorted.

"Ya know, I'm not gonna dignify that with a response," Solo stated.

"Do you think that Duo would approve of this?" Heero asked abruptly, crossing his arms over his chest. "You keeping away his friends when he needs them the most?"

"Jealous you didn't think of it first?" Solo challenged back. "And no, I don't think he'll like it but damn it, we've been through so much shit together and we've always protected each other's backs. This time ain't gonna be different and if he don't like it, then let him wake up and tell me so."

"You think you're better than me," Heero stated. "You think that just because you've known each other for years that he's just going to fall in your arms without a fight?"

"And fightin' a war together really makes for great relationships," Solo said sarcastically.

"It does," Heero said. "We've shed blood together, 'protected each other's backs,' found camaraderie—"

"And that makes for great sex," Solo interrupted. "What good memories do ya have with him anyway? Killing people, making orphans, do ya really think he enjoyed that? He did like blowing shit up, and who wouldn't? But c'mon man, he's a fucking human being, not a killing machine. No one asks for that kind of life. No one wants that kind of life. Before, he didn't know you existed and when he did, ya didn't make a good impression ta him. He told me."

"Regretful, as it is, things and people change," Heero argued back. "I've changed. I love him."

"It takes more than love to make a relationship," he said. "You two are too opposite of one another to make this thing work. You'd fall apart."

"Oh? You have experience?"

"I don't need it; I watched that shit happen all da time on da streets," Solo replied. "That stuff you see in the movies is shit. It's a fuckin' fantasy and that's what you're lookin' for. I'll save ya some time; ya ain't gonna find it."

"And they say I'm pessimistic," Heero said dryly, well, at least as dryly as was possible for him. "I've been told that love conquers."

"'Cept people's stupidity," Solo added immediately. "Ya know, ya probably know all sorts of shit, like how ta blow something up with da smallest amount of explosives or aiming a gun so that ya can miss a person's heart by an inch, or piloting a big ass Mobile Suit. But I noticed something; ya ain't people smart. You can't figure out their emotions and when you do try, you always fuck it up with your response. You can't even see the real Duo."

"And you can? Or maybe you're talking about yourself," Heero shot back at him, looking slightly pissed.

"If I was talkin' 'bout myself, I wouldn't be doin' it in front of you," he retorted. "I know I'm not perfect an' I don't pretend ta be perfect. I grew up on da fuckin' streets, stealing and eating out of garbage cans. I knew that was fucked up and ta survive it, I'd have ta been fucked up too. And guess what, Duo was there with me until we got separated.

"So yeah, if ya have a fuckin' problem with that, then piss on you. Me an' Duo, we ain't changin' for nobody. And yeah, if Duo don't want me than fine. As long as I can fuckin' protect him, I'm all right with that."

Heero was looking at him as if he had grown two heads. Either that or it was a tail. It was irritating him that the asshole was even giving him such a look but he chose to ignore it in preference to the sight of Duo. His brow furrowed in worry as that chest rose up oh so slowly and went down with each exhale of air. He wished that he would wake up already so that he wouldn't have to be feeling so fucked up. That and he wouldn't have to deal with Heero.

"Why?" he heard Heero ask him. "Why let him go when you know he'll leave?"

"Didn't you guys fight a war to find that out?" he asked back. "I know da whole thing: Earth wanted ta keep da Colonies, Colonies wanted ta leave Earth, they fight, make peace and stick together as friends."

"That is in no way what that war was about," Heero stated. "You don't even know what you're talking about."

"Ya might be right," Solo shrugged. "But ya know what? I don't care. Duo comes first. His happiness comes first. If it costs me mine, then all right, I can take it. A…a smart guy once told me that if you love someone, let them go. If they come back, it was meant to be but if they don't come back, then it wasn't. I think he was drunk at da time and he just came out of the blue with it. Left me with a lot of questions, that asshole, but what he said then makes sense."

"It does?" Heero rolled his eyes. "You have to hold on to the people that you love. One day, they'll be gone, gone forever and it was you who gave up the chance to protect them."

"Protect them or stifle them?" he said. "I ain't gonna nail someone down just to make sure I can keep an eye on them. That's what prison's for. You do what you want to do and I'll do what I want to do. Just…just shut da fuck up already."

Heero smirked at him; he couldn't see it but he sure as hell could feel it. While he wanted nothing better than to sock the guy in his face, he held himself back. Now was not the time to pick a fight and it definitely was not the place to get into a fight either. Duo was helpless right here and could get hurt when he didn't need to.

Of course, Duo would just yell at him, make him feel bad, and then try something stupid to "protect" him, like running off and going into hiding. When in doubt, run and hide. That was their little gang's credo. In the end, it hadn't saved them from the Plague but it was something that he had drilled into himself, drilled into Duo.

In retrospect, it probably hadn't been the wisest thing to have as a credo but when you were that young, you were allowed to make mistakes.

He was jerked out of his thoughts when Heero took a seat on the other side of Duo, clearly stating that he wasn't going anywhere. Oh, this guy was really asking for it, wasn't he? If he wanted to break another rib or two, he would've taken the bait right here and now. He was just…okay, okay, he was pussying out, so what?

Damn it.

* * *

Duo left unconsciousness like he was emerging from a warm bath: easy and regretful. Easy because it wasn't sudden but regretful because he wanted to sleep some more. He felt so tired, as if he had been on a month long solo mission with no provisions and nothing but the clothes on his back, a handgun, and a duffel bag of explosives with no money whatsoever while the entire surrounding area was swarming with Oz soldiers.

Those were the days…

Suffice to say, he knew he was awake but he refused to open his eyelids to make it all a certainty. Perhaps if he kept them closed, he would trick himself into getting a couple more hours of sleep. Yeah, that was the ticket.

That's when his mind became alert to the fact that something warm was around his hand and it took him less than a second to determine it was human flesh. Somebody was holding his hand? Why? How long had he been out?

Almost involuntary, he groaned and cracked open his eyes, closing them immediately as he was almost blinded by all the light. Damn it, hadn't people heard of blinders before? They were made for a reason, ya know!

He heard a chuckle, signaling to him that someone was taking pleasure in his misery. Well, if that wasn't reason enough to add another tally to his body count, he didn't know what else was.

A hand covered his forehead, for some reason unknown to him, and a thumb stroked the skin under one of his eyes, almost blocking away the source of light. If he had been a cat, he would've purred but instead settled for opening his violet eyes, this time even more slowly so as to let them adjust, and take in the sight above him.

Green eyes peered down at him indulgently and he immediately knew whom they belonged to. So Solo was the one who laughed at him. Guess he was going to have to change that potential fatality to a maiming instead.

"Wakey wakey," Solo said softly. "'Bout time ya woke up. I swear ya can be so lazy sometimes."

"Damn straight," he croaked in reply.

"That's good," Solo said. "Wouldn't want ya changin' on me. Lord knows you're a handful."

"Fuck. You."

"With pleasure."

"Fucking pervert," he mumbled, looking away. Noticing how absent the rest of the room was, he asked, "Where's everybody else?"

"Busy," Solo responded easily. "That and Heero's takin' a piss. Guy just wouldn't leave for some reason."

"There's something you're not telling me," Duo stated. "But right now, I don't care what it is. I'm just so freaking tired right now."

"I bet," Solo agreed. "You lost a lot of power back there; been out of it for almost a week. Try not to get like that again next time, okay?"

"Operative word being 'try,'" he mumbled. "I'll see what I can do."

"Yeah right," the blond grumbled. "Might as well knock ya out for another week and see how much good that'll do."

"Belay that, I'll save you some time," Duo yawned. "But first…"

He lazily lifted an arm up to take the blond's chin and force his head down so that he could capture the other's lips. Pulling away, he smiled sleepily and said, "Thought I forgotten?"

Solo blinked at him wide-eyed before his lips curled into a smirk. "For a moment there, I thought you had." He then kissed the braided one again, lasting a few seconds longer before pulling apart.

A thought occurred to Duo as Solo smiled down at him and his own smile slowly faded away. "With things as they are…do you think they'd let us…?" he trailed off, asking an unspoken question.

Solo looked confused, missing what Duo was hinting at. A blond moment for the guy who was the complete opposite of airhead, perhaps?

He sighed and elaborated, "The cult, Quatre and the guys, The Collective. Everybody wants a piece of me, either to protect me or use me. I wouldn't be surprised if they all tore each other apart trying to figure out who gets me as their trophy."

"So what ya think ya should do?" the blond asked, finally picking up on his trail of thought. "It's not like we could just disappear off the face of the Earth."

"We?" Duo repeated, getting a snort from Solo in reply.

"Do ya really think I'd let you go off on your own again?" the blond rolled his eyes. "Besides, didn't ya want ta marry me?"

"Christ," Duo groaned. "I still can't believe you remember that. But you know, you'd be putting yourself into danger just by staying with me. The guys'll be pissed off and The Collective will try to kill you to get to me."

"But that won't happen; you wouldn't let that happen and neither will I," Solo stated, gripping Duo's hand tightly. "We've been separated for years, gone our own paths, but wouldn't that be lonely continuing on your own when we could walk it together? We're all going ta da same place so why not keep each other company?"

Duo's lips curled upward. "That sounds nice."

"Just think about it a bit," Solo told him. "I'll be right here."

He looked into those sincere green eyes, looked deep into them enough that he was able to see his reflection in the orbs.

And finally, he was able to see not a mask or persona made to hide himself from the world.

He saw himself.

* * *

Une had heard all the commotion but she didn't hurry to find out what was going on. In fact, she already knew what it was and had been anticipating it.

That's not to say that she had liked it when she had learned about it but she had known there was nothing she could've done to prevent it.

By now, Duo was gone, taking his friend Solo with him to parts unknown and all she had was a contact number with the strict instructions not to use it, ever. It puzzled her why Duo would do such a thing, giving her a way to reach him and yet be told never to use it. Was there some underlying meaning to it?

Right now, she needed to focus on more important things; such as making sure the remaining Gundam pilots didn't tear this place apart searching for their missing comrade. She wasn't going to enjoy this and she even recalled Duo giving his sympathies for having to deal with it.

"_I don't understand. Why would you leave where you are safe? Why endanger yourself, all of us?"_

"_I think I'm putting you all in danger just being with you. I can't ask that of you to stand between me and some assholes who I ought to deal with myself. The guys wouldn't understand and I don't think the rest of your group would either."_

"_Duo, there are other options. We can keep you safe; teach you how to really use your powers. Please, give us some time."_

"_It's not that simple. I'm leaving Une and there's nothing any of you guys can do to stop me. You can restrain me, use magic to hold me, break my legs if you have to, but I'll get out, I'll find a way to get out and it'll all just be a waste of fucking time. At least be happy I'm telling you what I'm going to do beforehand. In the next couple of days, I'll be gone and the guys are going to lose it. For what it's worth, I don't like putting you in this position."_

And true to his word, Duo was gone. When she finally reached the room, she found it in disarray as well as a dent on the ceiling. If she had to guess, she'd wager that Yuy turned the bed over except he flipped it up hard enough that it smashed the ceiling. All over the floor, furniture was overturned, medical equipment in places it wasn't meant to be, sometimes the same machine being in several places, and four frantic pilots about to barrel out and tear apart the complex.

That's where she came in, blocking their way by standing impassively in the doorway. She wondered for a second whether or not Trieze would think what she was doing was the right thing.

"Une! Duo's missing!" Quatre exclaimed, frantic as he tried to get around her. "We need to find him!"

"I'm sorry about this but I'm going to have to order you to stand down," she stated, standing firm against the looks of shock that turned into withering glares.

"You mean to get in our way?" Chang demanded.

"I am doing what Duo himself asked me to," she answered.

"_Could you do me a favor? I know this is asking a lot but could you stall the guys for a while so that I can cover my tracks? I think a day ought to be more than enough but I don't want to chance it. The longer they aren't following my trail, the better."_

"What? But why?" Quatre demanded. "What is he thinking?"

That's when Barton spoke up but his tone was more subdued than the others as he figured out just what was going on. "He's leaving."

"Leaving?" Chang thundered.

"If it's his choice then we have to trust him and allow him to do so," Trowa sighed as he straightened up a chair just enough so that he could sit down in it. "He probably thinks that by staying he's only going to get us hurt."

Une blinked at him. She had guess as much but to hear it be put like that, well, it was a bit of an eye opener. Maybe there was more to this, something that Barton…Trowa might have picked up on but wasn't saying. In some ways, she supposed, Trowa knew how Duo thought better than the others did.

"That's bullshit!" Yuy's voice thundered. "We're finding him and bringing him back, NOW."

"No, Yuy, you will stand down," she ordered. "I don't want to do this, but I will invoke the conditions of your pardons by the Earth Sphere United Nations, specifically those concerning the requirements of your parole."

"Parole?" Quatre frowned. "What are we? Common criminals?"

"The government of ESUN wants to make sure none of you do anything to usurp the balance of stability," she answered. "Thus, according to your _conditional_ pardons, none of you are to take up arms, even in times of conflict, unless you are employed as Preventer staff. If you are fired, you will immediately be taken by the government and placed before a parole board who will decide whether or not you should be imprisoned or placed in a menial government position with no privacy and little to no freedom until your parole is up, which will be in about thirty years."

All the pilots were now staring up at her. "I'd rather have had you all exonerated but there are still those around who fear you. It was luck that I was able to get what you have now. Most wanted an indefinite amount of parole at the minimum. With the exception of Quatre, if I fire any of you, it will more or less be putting you at stake. Instead, your best shot is to follow my orders not to look for Duo for twenty four hours, starting now."

"_I know you can probably eke out a couple more hours for me so I'll leave you to your own devises there. All I ask is for twenty-four hours, minimum. That's all I ask for."_

"_Duo…I may not agree with this…but I'll let you do it. Just…just be careful."_

"_Hey, he'll have me there ta keep his ass in line. Don't worry."_

"_Thanks for that vote of confidence, Solo."_

"Alright," Trowa agreed with little resistance. It wasn't surprising now to Une but she found she wanted to get a better insight into the Heavyarms pilot but later though.

She could see the other three weren't willing to give in so easily but grudgingly agreeing. Then Quatre's eyes widened and he piped up, "Wait, Duo's deserted! Wouldn't that mean that he's forfeited his pardon?"

"Yes but the powers that be don't need to know that, do they?" she asked rhetorically. "Keep it to yourselves. In the meantime, we'd best be thinking of ways to combat The Collective, or at least make them public knowledge. People might not believe in magic but an enigmatic organization bent on global domination, more so."

"_I appreciate all you're doing for me Une. Really. Outside of Solo and the guys here, no one's been so kind to me since Sister Helen."_

"_Contrary to popular belief, Duo, I do care about what happens to you. You could say you've grown on me."_

"_Like a fuckin' fungus, right?"_

"_Solo!"_

* * *

As she left the pilots, going forth to bring this new situation to the attentions of Reichert and the others, she smiled grimly to herself. Duo was somewhere out there now, hiding from The Collective yet she knew that he wasn't alone.

She could see the way the two's interaction and from what she had seen, she knew the two would be all right.

Perhaps, one day, they would be reunited and be able to live in peace.

Perhaps, one day, when all was said and done, they would be able to look back at all this and laugh.

Perhaps, one day, their family would be together for good.


End file.
